Blank Rome Welcomes New Intellectual Property & Technology Attorneys in Washington, D.C.
Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that associate Mark F. Mashack and patent attorney Timothy S. Schwarz have joined the firm’s Washington, D.C., office in the nationally recognized Intellectual Property & Technology practice group, which recently welcomed partner Hussein Akhavannik. Mark and Tim both join the firm from BakerHostetler LLP.
“We are thrilled to welcome Mark and Tim to our growing team, where they will once again work closely with their former colleague Hussein to enhance our IP client service offerings and capabilities,” said David M. Perry, partner and co-chair of Blank Rome’s Intellectual Property & Technology practice group. “Mark and Tim both previously served as patent examiners at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”), allowing them to leverage their understanding of the inner workings of the USPTO to develop creative, cost-effective solutions for clients at a critical time when clients are looking for a comprehensive approach to patent protection.”
Mark focuses his practice on patent diligence and procurement to assist clients in navigating complex legal issues and optimizing patent portfolios. He applies significant experience to high-profile mergers and acquisitions in counseling clients on freedom-to-operate (“FTO”), patent strength, and contract issues. Mark also contributes to key in-house product development by formulating strategies to avoid third-party patents and providing solutions in patent prosecution to obtain strategic domestic and foreign patent assets. He counsels companies in a range of industries, including medical devices, drug injectors, robotics, manufacturing, computer networking, and data processing.
Tim focuses his practice on serving corporate clients’ IP needs in diverse technical fields. Tim has significant experience preparing and prosecuting patent applications before the USPTO, developing strategies for and coordinating the prosecution of international patent applications, conducting patent landscape and FTO searches, and preparing non-infringement and invalidity opinions. Additionally, Tim has notable experience performing IP due diligence, drafting licensing agreements, and assisting in litigation matters. Tim frequently engages in pro bono matters, including working with the Catholic Charities Legal Network.
Mark and Tim are admitted to practice in the District of Columbia, Virginia, and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Mark received his J.D with honors from the George Washington University Law School, his M.S. from Clemson University, and his B.S. from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Tim received his J.D. from American University, Washington College of Law, and his B.S. from Union College.