Yonghe Ma

Yonghe Ma, Ph.D., is a registered patent agent at Maier & Maier, specializing in patent prosecution and patent-related analysis across a variety of technical fields, including biotechnology, biomedicine, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, chemicals, and medical devices.

Prior to joining Maier & Maier, Dr. Ma served as a postdoctoral research fellow at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for over six years. His scientific expertise spans interdisciplinary projects at the intersection of RNA biology, immunology, and metabolism. He has utilized advanced technologies, including gene editing and antibody engineering, for RNA-based therapeutic applications targeting metabolic disorders such as obesity, diabetes, and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Dr. Ma also interned at the National Cancer Institute Technology Transfer Center, where he gained substantial experience in patent prosecution and other aspects of the IP lifecycle, including invention development, marketing, licensing, collaborative research agreements, and entrepreneurship.

Hyunsung Joo

Hyunsung Joo is a registered Patent Attorney. He received his B.S. in Civil Engineering, as well as M.S. and Ph.D. in Structural Engineering, all from Korea University, and J.D. from the University of Baltimore. He is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and is a member of the District of Columbia Bar.

 

Prior to becoming an attorney, Hyunsung Joo gained research experience in a wide range of areas, from nonlinear structural analysis to engineering industry policy development. He also contributed to engineering practice across multiple sectors and lectured on engineering subjects at universities.

Thomas (TJ) Gohn

TJ focuses his practice on intellectual property litigation and has represented clients in patent, copyright, and trademark disputes. His experience spans a variety of industries and technologies, including electronics, two-factor authentication, computer rendering, and data and signal processing.

Before joining Maier and Maier, TJ litigated intellectual property cases defending against non-practicing entities and provided IP counsel for mergers and acquisitions. He also practiced in the Middle East litigating international regulatory and diplomatic disputes.

TJ is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Experience:

  • Defense of national banks in the Eastern District of Texas relating to claims of infringement of two-factor authentication patent; obtained favorable settlement.
  • Assertion of valve and pump technology patents for oil and gas company in the Northern District of Texas; case resulted in favorable settlement.
  • Defense of large hospitality company in the Eastern District of Texas relating to claims of infringement of patents for website suggested search technology; obtained favorable settlement.
  • Assertion of trademark claims for bespoke software developer in District of Massachusetts; case resulted in favorable settlement for client with defendant agreeing to change name.
  • Defense of major western wear client against right of publicity claim in Eastern District of Arkansas; resulted in favorable settlement.
  • Defense of prolific marketing analytics company; obtained favorable settlement of patent infringement claims brought in the Eastern District of Texas.
  • Defense of one of the world’s largest computer manufacturers; obtained settlement of patent infringement claims brought in the International Trade Commission.
  • Defense of marketing firm in copyright infringement case; obtained favorable settlement.
  • Pro Bono representation of veteran in consumer protection lawsuit brought in Texas state court. Case resulted in favorable settlement with defendant agreeing to pay all client damages.

Brian MacDonald, Ph.D.

Dr. Brian MacDonald is an experienced patent agent proficient in writing patent applications and pursuing patents in a wide range of technologies. Brian began his career as a U.S. Patent Examiner and has since served on the client-service side of patent work for more than 20 years. He long ago taught physics at Georgia Tech, UCLA, and more recently at Gardner Webb University to support the faculty during the pandemic, and has volunteered with his son at Discovery Place in uptown Charlotte as an instructor of solar pyrography bringing together art and science.

Brian earned a PhD from the Georgia Tech through research in experimental nuclear physics conducted at many U.S. national laboratories, traveling with international teams of scientists. At Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL), Brian assembled, calibrated and operated complex arrays of gamma-ray and particle detectors. He worked directly with the world’s first segmented germanium clover array and helped commission the Recoil Mass Spectrometer (RMS) of ORNL, the most advanced heavy-ion mass spectrometer of its time. He smashed atoms and worked extensively with high-vacuum systems and nitrogen and helium cooling systems. Prior to these experiences, Brian manufactured radioactive calibration standards, automated electron-beam welding procedures for their manufacture, and coded software for controlling robotic remote manipulators.

Nasir Ahmed

Nasir Ahmed is a registered patent agent and practices patent prosecution in the areas of Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and biotechnology areas.

Prior to joining Maier & Maier, Nasir was a patent examiner for over 11 years at the United States Patent and Trademark Office where he examined patent applications in Electrical arts. At USPTO, apart from his patent examination, he was a Quality Nominee and search assistant.  As a quality nominee, he helped in classification related issues at USPTO.  He also mentored junior examiners by providing search strategies, and prior art analysis. Before entering Federal Government, Nasir worked for over 15 years as an Automation Engineer in various sectors, including biotechnology, telecom, and defense industries.

Nasir Ahmed led large system integration and maximum ROI for both employer and stakeholders.  He helped to develop various system designs, robotic systems, Satellite Testing platform, Multi-Band Satellite Radios testing, developing machine language to automate image analysis, confocal microscopy, and large robotic handling of biological process.   Also, Nasir worked on developing voice recognition software using Neural Networks.  As a Certified Instructor, Nasir taught Automation Software for using PC based or Embedded computers integrating diverse Inputs-Outputs (sensors).

Nasir has worked in numerous Non-profits to promote awareness of Neurotypical People from different cultures, Special Need Children, and people with PTSD.  He served as an executive board member of the UPSTO Military Association (UMA), USPTO Asian Pacific America Professional Network (APANET), and USPTO Toast Masters.  Furthermore, he is a certified Special Olympics Coach in his community and serves on their board.

Nasir received a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering with focus in Biomedical Engineering from The George Washington University at Washington DC. He also holds another Masters of Science in Applied Physics and Electronics from Dhaka University, Bangladesh.

Publications:

  • “OPENFES: Development of an Open-Source EMG-Triggered Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) Controller for Physical Therapy,” Proceedings of the 2010 Design of Medical Devices Conference, April 13-15, 2010, Minneapolis, MN (with A. Dutta)
  • “LXI, PXI, VXI, VME, cPCI -.What Does it all Mean?” A White Paper for NAVY TMDE Group
  • “Functional Imaging of Cardiac Electric Activity Using Laser Endoscopy.”  Thesis Paper Submitted to Department of Electrical Engineering at The George Washington University, Washington, DC.
  • Voice Recognition Software: Have implemented software for voice recognition using Linear Vector Quantization Technique (LVQ) technique.

Kazuyuki Nakai

Kazuyuki Nakai is a highly experienced Japanese Patent Attorney and intellectual property specialist. Mr. Nakai’s experience includes all aspects of intellectual property law, including patent and trademark portfolio management.  Prior to joining Maier & Maier, Mr. Nakai served as in-house counsel and intellectual property manager for a multi-national corporation. In his prior roles, Mr. Nakai has been in charge of administration of patent and trademark rights, developing strong intellectual property positions, soliciting new inventions for protection and commercialization, intellectual property training and coordination with engineers and business units, as well as preparing intellectual property related reports, opinions, and searches. Before entering the intellectual property field, Mr. Nakai worked as a sound engineer in the United States and Japan.

Mr. Nakai is a Japanese Patent Attorney and he obtained his Bachelor of Economics degree from Chuo University in Tokyo, Japan.

Surinder (Sach) Sachar

Surinder (Sach) Sachar is a partner and electrical technology patent attorney.

A former Patent Examiner with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Mr. Sachar handles patents from application through prosecution and has extensive experience in all aspects of patent prosecution, including bringing cases before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB).

An electrical engineer by training, he has worked with high-technology inventions, including high-density optical recording devices and systems, semiconductors, displays, medical instruments, ultrasound devices, mobile communications systems, computers, TVs, consumer electronics, image forming equipment, and telecommunications devices.

For the past 33 years, Mr. Sachar has represented several leading global electronics companies headquartered in Japan helping to protect the intellectual property portfolios of their diverse technologies.

Mr. Sachar also offers opinions and counsels clients on the full range of patent issues, including the interplay of patents, methods to garner strategic and broad patent portfolio protection, and how to avoid infringement of competitor patents. With experience at the USPTO, where he specialized in the fields of magnetic and optical recording systems, Mr. Sachar understands its inner workings and possesses the depth of knowledge, experience, and success to craft the broadest enforceable patents to serve his clients’ business needs.

Michael R. Casey, Ph.D.

Michael R. Casey, Ph.D., is a partner with more than 25 years of experience in patent law including patent litigation, patent prosecution, post grant proceedings, and patent interferences. His practice focuses on all aspects of computer hardware and software, as well as circuit design and telecommunications.

Dr. Casey is experienced representing and counseling electronics and computer-technology clients — both foreign and domestic — on intellectual property law and related issues, including procurement, valuation, licensing and enforcement of intellectual property. His representations include patent litigations before a number of Federal District Courts; appellate arguments before the Federal Circuit; International Arbitrations; post-grant proceedings (including IPRs and CBMs); preparation of patent opinions relating to invalidity, non-infringement, and product clearances; patent preparation and prosecution (U.S. and foreign); and patent interferences.

Dr. Casey earned advanced degrees based on his research in Electrical and/or Computer Engineering, and is a co-author on numerous papers in the areas of distributed, heterogeneous, and mobile computing systems and operating system designs.

Dr. Casey’s technical background covers a variety computer-related technologies and medical device equipment. In the computer field, Dr. Casey’s experience includes circuit design (including parallel processing architectures and field programmable gate arrays); computational intelligence systems (including artificial intelligence (AI), neural networks, bioinformatics, and fuzzy logic), encryption software and applications (including blockchain, digital rights management (DRM) and PKI), computer networking software, hardware and algorithms, electronic commerce, computer graphics and animation, communications algorithms and hardware, and programming languages and methodologies. In the medical device field, Dr. Casey has represented clients in the fields of IV pumps and catheters for guidewires.

Patrick G. Wamsley

Patrick Wamsley is a registered patent attorney and practices all aspects of patent prosecution. Prior to becoming a patent attorney, Patrick worked at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) as a patent examiner. Patrick specialized in analog to digital converters, data compression, decoders, encoders, filters, serial to parallel converters, and sigma-delta modulators.

Ryan Thompson

Ryan Thompson is a registered patent attorney and practices all aspects of patent prosecution, including utility and design patent drafting and prosecution, patent searches, and freedom-to-operate or infringement opinions. Ryan has worked across a variety of technology areas including mechanical devices, IoT systems, software, electrical monitoring or sensor systems, and medical device technologies.

Ryan studied Electrical Engineering at The University of Texas at Dallas, where his studies focused on electronic device design, computer architecture, and integrated circuit technologies. During his time at university Ryan also worked for an engineering company gaining experience in designing and testing electro-mechanical relays. Ryan’s experience includes working with teams to design and test relays, IoT systems, and other hardware systems. While at GW Law Ryan was a part of the Journal for Energy and Environmental law as well as part of the GW Mock Trial Skills board.