Our engineering backgrounds and industry experience blanket all aspects of mechanical technologies. We are among the largest mechanical groups in New England, with attorneys and technology specialists whose work is second to none. Clients know we can handle virtually any technology, which means we don’t spend time getting up to speed and can focus, instead, on providing perceptive advice on issues such as new product development, competitive targeting and how the project fits within the overall client objectives. Our strong business and industry acumen allows us to serve as trusted counselors who understand the context in which IP decisions are made. We also spend time educating senior management on IP issues so they can react quickly to opportunities and threats.

OUR CLIENTS

Our group’s clients range from industry leaders like BD, Husky Injection Molding and ASSA ABLOY, to leading research institutions like MIT, to emerging startups like Coravin and ClearMotion, and to some of the most recognizable consumer products companies like SharkNinja, Nikon, Burton Snowboards and Keurig Green Mountain. Many of our clients have been with us for decades because they value our consistency and institutional knowledge. 

BROAD RANGE OF IP SERVICES

The services we provide are always tied to the business needs of clients, with both a short-term and long-term focus. We take into consideration a client’s plans for growth, locations of key manufacturing activities, downstream markets, industry trends and competitive obstacles, among others. We then might advise on which type of patent application and how many to file, or in which international markets to seek protection, or the benefits of a design patent over a utility patent—all the while considering engineering alternatives and other steps to minimize exposure. 

Other services our group provides include: product clearance, patent validity, trade dress protection, intellectual property audits and due diligence, competitive intelligence and monitoring services, licensing and other IP agreements, post-grant proceedings, and infringement enforcement and defense.

• We took over prosecution for a new client whose prior counsel could not convince the patent examiner that its invention was patent eligible. We re-crafted the claims and flew to the USPTO, armed with samples and reasons why the invention differed from prior art. The examiner and supervisor agreed to the changes, and we received a notice of allowance shortly thereafter.
• We strategically counseled a client in a successful patent infringement litigation against a leading sports equipment company, resulting in a favorable financial settlement and withdrawal of the competitor from our client's product space.
• In reviewing a patent portfolio for a new client, we discovered an infringement by a major competitor, resulting in an eight-figure damages settlement and leaving our client with a patent that now covers the bulk of its products in that particular market.
• A client looking to enter into joint development with a major supplier was uneasy about background technology potentially infringing third-party rights. The supplier was unwilling to give our client access to the technology for conducting the clearance, so we entered into a confidentiality agreement with the supplier, met with its technical staff, and conducted the clearance investigation. Based on our confidential analysis and the trust we had built with the client over the years, the client went forward with the agreement.
• After uncovering a third-party US patent that prevented our client from producing a particular product design, we discovered the corresponding European patent application had been withdrawn due to a prior art German reference and were then able to use the reference in a subsequent invalidity opinion. The speed with which we found the highly relevant reference enabled our client to proceed with the proposed product in a timely manner.
• For a major medical device client looking to purchase a particular technology, we led the IP diligence on assessing potential acquisition targets, simultaneously guiding the client through an internal design process to develop similar patentable technology.
• While performing a targeted infringement clearance study relating to a different feature of a client’s product, we discovered an infringement issue which was resolved with a change in design in under two weeks.

Representative Clients

• Aavid Thermalloy, LLC – manufacturer of thermal management solutions for electronics industry
• Agnovos Healthcare, LLC – healthcare company focused on bone health
• ASSA ABLOY – manufacturer and supplier of intelligent lock and security solutions
• BD – medical equipment and devices manufacturer
• Biogen Inc. – biopharmaceutical company developing therapies for serious neurological, autoimmune, and hematologic disorders
• Boston Beer Company – brewer of Samuel Adams^® beer, Twisted Tea^® hard ice tea, Angry Orchard^® hard cider, and several craft beers
• Boston Children's Hospital – a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital and research center focused on pediatric health care
• Burton Snowboards – developer of products and apparel for snowboarding and the snowboard lifestyle
• Cellaegis Devices, Inc. – clinical stage medical device company working on remote ischemic conditioning (RIC)
• ClearMotion Inc. – developer of active vehicle suspension and energy recovery technology for ride control
• Coravin – manufacturer of a wine preservation tool
• Covaris – technology company providing tools and technologies for drug discovery process
• DEKA Research & Development Corporation – developer of new technologies for diverse applications in engineering, industrial design, manufacturing, and regulatory/clinical systems
• Eli Lilly – a global pharmaceutical company focusing on drug development 
• Galvion – designs, develops and delivers protective armor and head systems, as well as innovative power supply and management solutions for soldiers and vehicles
• Geotab – specializes in the area of global positioning system fleet management and vehicle tracking
• Husky Injection Molding Systems, Ltd. – producer of injection molding equipment and services for the plastics industry
• Keurig Green Mountain, Inc. – manufacturer of coffee and beverage brewers, specialty coffee, teas, and other beverages
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology – education and research institute managing commercial investment in and licensing of inventions and discoveries from research at MIT and Lincoln Laboratory
• Performance Sports Group – ice hockey, roller hockey, lacrosse, baseball, and softball equipment and related apparel supplier and manufacturer
• RIKON Power Tools Inc. – designer and manufacturer of woodworking machinery
• SharkNinja (formerly Euro-Pro Operating, LLC) – manufacturer of household cleaning devices and small household appliances and creator of brands Shark^® & Ninja^®
• SimpliSafe – home security company that produces and sells self-installed security systems
• Takeda – biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and marketing specialty medicines to meet significant unmet patient needs
• Vestas Wind Systems – manufacturer, seller, installer, and servicer of wind turbines

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