Stephen W. Palan is a partner in the firm's Intellectual Property Group in Washington, DC. His practice focuses on intellectual property litigation and counseling, including world-wide strategic patent procurement and licensing, as well as trade secret protection.
Mr. Palan has extensive experience in wireless, wireline, and data networking technologies, including access technologies, protocols, modulation, encoding schemes and terminal design. He has worked extensively with international communication standards. Mr. Palan is also experienced in technologies such as digital and analog circuits, computer-software applications, consumer electronics, automotive fuel cells, and automotive emission control systems.
Mr. Palan has experience in all aspects of U.S. patent practice, including infringement litigation and procurement, including patent appeals, reissues, reexaminations, and interferences. He is also experienced in assisting clients in setting up strategic patent acquisition programs and in developing cost-effective patent procurement strategies. Mr. Palan’s counseling work involves infringement, validity and right-to-use counseling and opinions. He also assists his clients with license and contract drafting and negotiations.
Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Palan worked as a Patent Examiner in the United States Patent and Trademark Office. His experience as a Patent Examiner provides him with invaluable insight into all aspects of practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Mr. Palan is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Virginia and the State of Maryland, and is registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. He is a member of the Intellectual Property Owners Association Standards Setting Committee and a member of the American Intellectual Property Law Association.
Mr. Palan has served on the Board of Governors of the Virginia State Bar Intellectual Property Section since 2006, and is current Chair of the Board.