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Womble Bond Dickinson announced today that Kristian R. Sullivan has joined the firm’s Patent Prosecution & Litigation group on the Mechanical team. He will be based in the firm’s Houston office.
Sullivan joins the firm’s Mechanical team and has experience in a range of IP services, including securing and strengthening IP assets, conducting freedom-to-operate analyses, and drafting and negotiating IP-related agreements. His practice spans several industries, including energy, oil and gas, medical, automotive, technology, construction, and hydrocarbon processing.
“The Houston economic market has a high concentration of clients in the advanced manufacturing and oil/gas industries. As such, there is a demand for patent prosecution attorneys with mechanical engineering experience to do this work,” said Houston Office Managing Partner and Energy Sector Co-Lead Jeff Whittle. “Kristian’s strong mechanical experience, including in oil and gas, will be a boost for the Houston office and add further depth to the firm’s Patent Prosecution & Litigation group and growing Energy sector team.”
“The Houston economic market has a high concentration of clients in the advanced manufacturing and oil/gas industries. As such, there is a demand for patent prosecution attorneys with mechanical engineering experience to do this work. Kristian’s strong mechanical experience, including in oil and gas, will be a boost for the Houston office and add further depth to the firm’s Patent Prosecution & Litigation group and growing Energy sector team.”
Jeff Whittle, Houston Office Managing Partner & Energy Sector Co-Lead
In addition to private practice, Sullivan has experience as in-house counsel at Exxon Mobil. His responsibilities included preparing and prosecuting U.S. patent applications, directing foreign patent application prosecution, and drafting, analyzing, and negotiating IP agreements. Prior to law school, he completed several internship assignments with Shell Oil Company involving several practical, technical projects related to downstream oil refining and chemical processing.
Sullivan graduated cum laude from the University of Houston Law Center and received his B.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Houston. He is licensed to practice in Texas and before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
The addition of Sullivan follows a string of strong hires within the firm’s Patent Prosecution & Litigation group, including patent partner Jeff McIntyre (DC), former ITC attorney Andrew Beverina (DC), leading IP trial lawyer Fabio Marino (Silicon Valley), IP litigation partner Rodney Miller (Atlanta), and patent prosecution attorneys Kevin Davis, Ph.D. (Houston) and Brandon Massengill (Raleigh).
Womble’s IP practice includes over 140 attorneys, patent agents, and technical advisors who help clients protect innovations and capitalize on the value of their IP in a competitive marketplace. More than 100 legal professionals are USPTO-registered practitioners, including attorneys and agents, and over 75 members have advanced degrees.
