Intellectual property boutique firm Sughrue Mion has obtained more U.S. patents than any other firm. With a top-notch litigation practice; one of the largest full-service trademark practices in the country; and wide-ranging expertise in patent counseling, prosecution, and review, Sughrue handles all manner of IP issues for clients around the world.

From Prosecution to Litigation and Beyond

Sughrue was founded in the nation’s capital in 1957 by Richard C. Sughrue and Gideon “Frank” Rothwell exclusively as an IP boutique. In its early days, its specialties were patent and trademark prosecution. In the 1980s, litigation emerged as a formidable practice area for the firm. Along with its expanding practice areas, Sughrue expanded its physical reach as well, opening an office in Japan in 1987. Now, the firm serves worldwide clients in India, Europe, Japan, Korea, Israel, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Oceania. However, Sughrue’s Washington, DC, office remains not only its headquarters, but also the center of much of the action, due to its proximity to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

Patent Professionals

Sughrue’s main practice groups are in patent counseling, patent post-grant review and patent prosecution, trademark, copyright, and litigation. As part of its full-service trademark practice, one of the largest of any U.S. firm, Sughrue handles trademark counseling, litigation and prosecution, and files applications for a variety of companies in such diverse industries as computers, toys, apparel, entertainment, publishing, communications, sports, automobile, food and beverage, and restaurants. Its patent prosecution practice covers nanotechnology, biosimilars, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, chemical, Internet, e-commerce, and software. Sughrue is also considered an expert in the obscure field of interference law, which governs the rare but vital trials that occur when two applicants claim similar patent rights.

Sughrue’s talents attract a high-profile client roster. The firm’s portfolio includes filing a patent for a new model of the Blu-ray player, prosecuting to retain Mattel’s Barbie domain name, defending Kohl’s Department Stores in a shoe design copyright lawsuit, and prosecuting trademark coffee products for Nestle. Sughrue also has notable experience in the biotechnology industry, having prosecuted AstraZeneca for patent infringement on behalf of Hanmi Pharmaceuticals, counseled Ranbaxy against Merck’s litigation, and handled trademark litigation for BioTek.

Sughrue Smarts

As is to be expected, Sughrue attorneys are an accomplished bunch. The firm is known for its expertise in Trademark Trial and Appeal Board procedure and law. Natural, considering one partner actually wrote the definitive book on the topic. Several attorneys worked as USPTO Examiners prior to joining the firm, and 95 percent are licensed to practice before the Office. Most Sughrue attorneys also have engineering, technical, or science degrees, allowing them to understand the “intellectual” part of the “property.”