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Prosecution, portfolio management, strategic counselling and post-grant boutique Nicholson De Vos Webster & Elliott has become a fixture in Silicon Valley in a relatively short space of time. The firm was established in 2015 and has since gained a strong following of established market leaders and exciting start-ups, which appreciate its technologically sophisticated, flexible and secure approach to the practice. Setting the standard for a 25-strong professional team is Dan De Vos, who is cited as “one of the best patent attorneys in the whole country” and a model of excellence in advisory work and analysis. He keeps the focus of his team – which engages in extensive original drafting – squarely on patent quality. David Nicholson has had a stellar year in terms of business development and talent acquisition, making him an integral member of the team. His patrons have experienced significant success on the transactional front as a result of his portfolio-building expertise, which is one reason why more of them keep coming. Judith Szepesi has found the outfit to be a natural home; its focus on efficiency aligns with her own desire to deliver value.
Nicholson De Vos Webster & Elliott LLP is a boutique IP law firm located in Silicon Valley. Leveraging decades of experience, the partners founded the firm in 2015 with a focus on the preparation and prosecution of patent applications, patent portfolio management, post-issuance proceedings and patent litigation support. Borrowing from the tactics of the companies that the firm represents, Nicholson De Vos uses current technology to provide a flexible and secure environment for attorney and client collaboration.
Although a relatively new firm, Nicholson De Vos has grown to include 25 attorneys and three patent agents, most of whom have worked together for many years. Nicholson De Vos is proud of its distinguished attorneys, who have been listed among the world’s leading patent practitioners, with some recognised among California’s “SuperLawyers”. Nicholson De Vos is also listed as one of Juristat’s top 100 firms of 2018 and among the top firms in the United States from 2019-2021 for applications filed in USPTO Technology Center 2100: Computer Architecture, Software and Information Security. The team has extensive experience in a robust range of technologies, with many having technical degrees in electrical engineering or computer science. The firm uses this depth of knowledge and experience to pursue protection for clients’ intellectual property.
Practising in Silicon Valley gives Nicholson De Vos access to companies at the forefront of technological innovation. This physical presence affords firm attorneys the opportunity, on short notice and at the convenience of clients, to meet in person with inventors and in-house counsel to understand fully their technology and counsel on patent strategy.
The firm’s clients range from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies. The firm has expertise creating and managing patent programmes from scratch, as well as seamlessly working with established client guidelines and procedures. Key industries serviced by the firm include microprocessors, graphics, telecommunications, networking, internet protocol television, memory and storage, virtualisation software, cloud computer including storage and services, machine learning, network security and optimisation, the Internet of Things, wearable technology and electric vehicle infrastructure.
Nicholson De Vos’s patent prosecution practice focuses on filing and prosecuting patent applications not only in the United States, but also internationally. The firm routinely files Patent Cooperation Treaty applications before both the USPTO and the International Bureau. In addition, individuals at the firm have longstanding relationships with attorneys at firms in other countries, with whom they work to file and prosecute direct and national phase filings in those countries according to the relevant rules and best practices. For example, Nicholson De Vos’s attorneys have helped to direct patent prosecution efforts in Australia, Brazil, China, Europe, India, Israel, Japan, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia and Singapore.
Patent preparation and prosecution
Our team of patent attorneys has extensive experience identifying inventions, elements of inventions and discoveries that are eligible for patent protection. We develop strategies for obtaining patent protection that are carefully tailored to our clients’ needs and goals.
Patent portfolio management
Our experienced and skilled patent attorneys and patent agents work closely with each client to find the best way to manage their patent portfolio. We assist clients with:
- identifying patentable ideas;
- developing strategies to maximise the value of the portfolio; and
- evaluating competitors’ activities that could affect the portfolio.
Patent post-issuance proceedings
We offer a team of highly skilled and experienced patent professionals who can assist in numerous types of post-issuance proceedings, including:
- inter partes review;
- covered business method;
- post-grant review;
- ex parte re-examination; and
- request for supplemental examination.
Litigation support
Our attorneys have decades of combined experience in patent litigation support, assisting our clients’ litigation counsel through patent infringement analysis and patent invalidity analysis.
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