OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA—June 16, 2021—Dunlap Codding is pleased to announce that directors Marc A. Brockhaus, Nicholas D. Rouse, Jordan A. Sigale, and Douglas J. Sorocco have again been selected by Managing Intellectual Property as IP Stars. Brockhaus and Sorocco were selected as Patent Stars; Rouse and Sigale were selected as Trademark and Patent Stars. The publication lists the firm as “highly recommended,” its top ranking.

Managing Intellectual Property is “the leading specialist guide to IP firms and practitioners worldwide. Managing IP has been researching and ranking firms since 1996. This research has expanded over the years, with more than 80 jurisdictions now covered, making it the most comprehensive and authoritative analysis of the industry.” Dunlap Codding, with offices in Austin, Chicago, Oklahoma City, and Washington, D.C., serves sophisticated international, national, and regional clients.  Established in 1957 as Oklahoma’s original intellectual property firm, Dunlap Codding remains the region’s largest and most versatile IP boutique providing counsel in the areas of patent, trademark, copyright, and entertainment law as well as related litigation and licensing services. 

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA—May 31, 2021—Dunlap Codding is pleased to be ranked in Band 1 (the top band) for intellectual property by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. The publication is consistently regarded as the most reliable and intensively researched of all lawyer rating directories. Chambers USA began ranking Oklahoma Intellectual Property firms in 2010. Dunlap Codding has been a top-ranked firm since the inaugural coverage of the state’s intellectual property practitioners and is again ranked in Band 1 for 2021.

Chambers described the firm as a “[r]espected boutique with a global clientele, partnering with companies of all sizes to provide long-term strategic and holistic IP portfolio management. Particularly noted for its high level of patent prosecution activity and representation of clients seeking to protect IP assets in the healthcare, life sciences, engineering and entertainment sectors. Also active on licensing, trade secrets and rights of publicity issues.

Chambers noted that a client enthuse[d], “I have never filed a patent application that did not become a patent, thanks in large part to their ability to help me develop a strong patent application, as well as their shepherding of the application through the process, including overcoming objections.”

Chambers said Marc Brockhaus “is phenomenal to work with and is a master at getting past office actions.”

Regarding Emily Campbell, Chambers observed she “has vast experience handling a wide variety of IP matters, including licensing issues and enforcement strategies.”

According to Chambers, “Nick Rouse remains a leading IP practitioner with significant expertise in mechanical engineering matters.” They quote a source as saying, “Our experience with Nick is very good and has been for many years. Nick is an excellent communicator and explains topics well.”

Finally, Chambers noted that Doug Sorocco “is respected for his IP practice, which includes patent prosecution and transactional matters.” A client is quoted as saying, “Doug is great at learning our business strategy and helping us develop an IP strategy to match.” Dunlap Codding, with offices in Austin, Chicago, Oklahoma City, and Washington, D.C., serves sophisticated international, national, and regional clients.  Established in 1957 as Oklahoma’s original intellectual property firm, Dunlap Codding remains the region’s largest and most versatile IP boutique providing counsel in the areas of patent, trademark, copyright, and entertainment law as well as related litigation and licensing services.

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA—August 2020—Dunlap Codding is pleased to announce that directors Marc A. Brockhaus, Nicholas D. Rouse, and Douglas J. Sorocco have been selected for inclusion in Oklahoma Super Lawyers 2021 and Jordan Sigale has been selected for inclusion in Illinois Super Lawyers 2021.  Associates Elizabeth Isaac, Ann Robl, and Evan Talley were listed in Oklahoma Super Lawyers – Rising Stars 2021. Each year, no more than five percent of the lawyers in a state are selected as Super Lawyers, and only two and a half percent of the lawyers in a state are selected as Rising Stars. Firm managing shareholder Nick Rouse said, “Our mission continues to be to provide excellent service and value to our clients and to uphold the reputation of our industry. We’re honored to be selected for inclusion as Super Lawyers and Rising Stars. ”

Elizabeth Isaac leads Dunlap Codding’s Design group. Her practice includes patent preparation and prosecution, due diligence, trademarks, copyrights, and entertainment law, as well as multi-disciplinary portfolio management, licensing, transactional, and litigation matters. Elizabeth focuses on patents in the industrial design, mechanical, consumer products, medical devices, and computer-related arts. Elizabeth assists clients in diversifying and enforcing their intellectual property portfolios and mitigating the risks associated with the rights of others by negotiating deals and settlements. She also manages, enforces, and defends complex, global brand portfolios. Elizabeth received her J.D. from Oklahoma City University College of Law, summa cum laude, and her B.A., magna cum laude, from Austin College. Elizabeth currently serves on the Boards for the Intellectual Property Law Section of the Oklahoma Bar Association, the Oklahoma City University Alumni Association, the Oklahoma County Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, and deadCenter Film.

Ann Robl  focuses her practice on patent preparation, patent prosecution, patent post-grant proceedings, patentability analyses, prior art searching, opinion preparation, licensing, intellectual property agreement preparation and analysis, trademark protection, and intellectual property strategy and portfolio management. Her recent work includes development and implementation of patent post-grant proceeding strategies. Ann’s areas of technical experience include mechanical devices and systems, software-based and computer-based systems, optics, and data transmission and networks. She graduated with distinction from the University of Oklahoma College of Law and received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Villanova University, where she graduated cum laude. Ann serves as the current President of the Intellectual Property Law Section of the Oklahoma Bar Association.

Evan Talley enforces and defends his clients’ interests in disputes concerning intellectual property rights (patent, trademark, trade dress, copyright, trade secrets, rights of publicity, unfair competition, deceptive trade practices, artists’ and moral rights, and breach of licensing agreements) and ranges from pre-litigation dispute resolution through trial and appeal. His recent litigation experience includes cases in state and federal district courts in Oklahoma, Illinois, California, Florida, Minnesota, New York, Texas, Pennsylvania, Washington, Oregon, and Ohio. He has participated in appeals before the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal, Sixth, and Tenth Circuits. Evan received his J.D. from the University of Oklahoma College of Law, with distinction, and received his B.B.A. with distinction from the University of Oklahoma College of Business.

Marc Brockhaus was also listed in The Best Lawyers in America® 2021 for Litigation – Intellectual Property, Patent Law, Trademark Law and Trade Secrets Laws and was selected as the “Lawyer of the Year – Oklahoma City,” for Trade Secrets Law.  Marc leads Dunlap Codding’s Electrical Engineering & Systems group.  His practice includes all areas of intellectual property, including technology, computer, and patent law, and extends to counseling, transactions, litigation, and prosecution before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.  He is ranked in the top band of Oklahoma’s top intellectual property practitioners by the highly regarded Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business and has been selected for inclusion as an Oklahoma Super Lawyer and a Rising Star in prior years as well. Marc has been an adjunct faculty member at the University Of Oklahoma College Of Law and received his J.D. and his MBA from the University of Oklahoma , where he was inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma.  He received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma.

Nick Rouse, also listed in The Best Lawyers in America® 2021 in the fields of Patent Law, Technology Law, and Trademark Law, has served as Dunlap Codding’s managing shareholder since 2007 while continuing an active practice.  In its inaugural coverage of intellectual property law in Oklahoma, the highly regarded Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business ranked Nick in the top band of leading practitioners, and he continues to be ranked in the top band. He provides a broad range of patent counseling to clients ranging from individual inventors to large multinational manufacturing companies. His practice includes patent preparation and prosecution, patent portfolio management, validity and infringement opinions, evaluations of new designs, and licensing strategy.  Nick graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering and received his J.D. from the University of Oklahoma College of Law. He is a member of the Intellectual Property Law Section of the Oklahoma Bar Association and served as its president in 2007.

Jordan Sigale chairs the firm’s Litigation Practice Group and focuses on patent, copyright, trademark and trade secret litigation and alternative dispute resolution. He was also listed in The Best Lawyers in America® 2021 for Litigation – Intellectual Property. His work extends to client counseling on issues of corporate and strategic planning involving copyrights, patents, trademarks, and trade secrets. He is extensively involved in patent prosecution for a variety of clients with specific focus on the interface between computers and end-users in an array of situations and transactions. Jordan received his B.S. from the University of Illinois College of Electrical and Computer Engineering in 1989and received his J.D. from the same institution’s College of Law, magna cum laude, in 1992.

Doug Sorocco is also listed in The Best Lawyers in America® 2021 in the fields of Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Patent Law and Technology Law.  He practices in the areas of intellectual property, technology, licensing, life sciences, and patent law. He is registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Doug regularly counsels clients in all aspects of intellectual property including acquisition and commercialization of intellectual property, portfolio management, licensing, and transactional matters. He is ranked among the top bands of Oklahoma’s top intellectual property practitioners by the highly regarded Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business.  In prior years, Doug was selected for inclusion as an Oklahoma Rising Star. He is an adjunct faculty member at the Oklahoma City University School of Law and in the Physiology Department at the University of Oklahoma’s Health Sciences Center. Doug received his J.D. from the University of Dayton School of Law, attended Northwestern University School of Law as a Visiting Student, and received his B.S. in Chemistry from Butler University. Dunlap Codding P.C., with offices in Austin, Chicago, Oklahoma City, and Washington, D.C., serves sophisticated international, national, and regional clients. Established in 1957 as Oklahoma’s original intellectual property firm, Dunlap Codding remains the state’s largest and most versatile IP boutique law firm.

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA—April 28, 2020—Dunlap Codding is pleased to be ranked in Band 1 (the top band) for intellectual property by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. The publication is consistently regarded as the most reliable and intensively researched of all lawyer rating directories. Chambers USA began ranking Oklahoma Intellectual Property firms in 2010. Dunlap Codding has been a top-ranked firm since the inaugural coverage of the state’s intellectual property practitioners and is again ranked in Band 1 for 2020.

Chambers described the firm as a “[r]espected boutique with a global clientele, partnering with companies of all sizes to provide long-term strategic and holistic IP portfolio management. Particularly noted for its high level of patent prosecution activity and representation of clients seeking to protect IP assets in the healthcare, life sciences, engineering and entertainment sectors. Also active on licensing, trade secrets and rights of publicity issues. Noted for its representation of universities and Fortune 500 companies.” Chambers additionally quoted sources regarding the strengths of the team:

• “All the people in the firm are friendly and client-oriented.”
• “Communication has been fluid and prompt, and we have felt well informed and that our interests are in very capable hands….Their strengths revolve around their mastery of the subject matter, their patience and thoroughness in gathering all facts, attitudes, opinions and corporate objectives, and incorporating those into their preparation of our defense.”
• “They are very responsive and they do a consistently excellent job.”

Chambers said Marc Brockhaus “wins praise from peers and clients alike for his intellectual property practice. He handles contentious and transactional matters, with a noted specialty in electrical engineering matters.”

Regarding Emily Campbell, Chambers quoted a peer as saying, “[Emily] is very knowledgeable about trademarks and has a good reputation as one of the top trademark lawyers in the area.” Chambers also noted she has vast experience handling a wide variety of IP matters, including licensing issues and enforcement strategies.

According to Chambers, “Nick Rouse remains a leading IP practitioner with significant expertise in mechanical engineering matters.” They quote a source as saying, “He’s great: he’s very approachable, clients like his bedside manner and he does a good job of explaining the complexities.”

Finally, Chambers noted that Doug Sorocco “is respected for his IP practice, which includes patent prosecution and transactional matters.” They note that one client praises him as “very strategy minded,” and cite another as saying, “[h]is broad range of experience, combined with his technical curiosity, allows him to simultaneously focus in on the heart of the matter while also considering alternative embodiments, resulting in patent applications that are both efficiently drafted and well rounded.” Dunlap Codding, with offices in Austin, Chicago, Oklahoma City, and Washington, D.C., serves sophisticated international, national, and regional clients.  Established in 1957 as Oklahoma’s original intellectual property firm, Dunlap Codding remains the region’s largest and most versatile IP boutique providing counsel in the areas of patent, trademark, copyright, and entertainment law as well as related litigation and licensing services.

Dunlap Codding Shareholder Emily Campbell was quoted in a Law.com article by Megan Spicer, published on July 29, 2016.  The article, “Copyright Counsel Eager for Clarity on Fair Use for Viral Videos,”  covered the fair use of viral videos, such as the cell phone video from the scene of the recent shooting in Dallas which claimed the lives of five police officers.  

As Spicer noted, there are no cases dealing with the monetization of viral videos that depict serious news.   Emily Campbell, who heads the trademark and copyright group at Dunlap Codding asked, “Will someone challenge these groups who are monetizing viral videos?”  She said that companies such as ViralHog [one of the startup companies that acquire video and capitalize on its popularity] are taking advantage of the uncertainty.

Dunlap Codding Shareholder Emily Campbell was quoted in Inside Counsel in an article by Amanda Ciccatelli published on July 26, 2016.  The article, “Melania Trump vs. Michelle Obama:  Does copyright law cover public speeches,” commented on the reports that “Melania Trump’s speech was very similar to the speech previously given by Michelle Obama at the Democratic National Convention in 2008.”  

Ciccatelli wrote, ” Does copyright law actually protect public speeches? The answer according to Campbell is yes.  Copyright law serves to protect various types of creative works, including speeches.”  

“The nuance here, though, is that copyrights protect works only when they are ‘fixed in a tangible medium,” [Campbell] explained.  “So what’s really protected by copyright is not the act of giving the speech but the video recording, sound recording, or antecedent written text of the speech.” 

Campbell also said, “Ultimately, the key questions to be answered are whether Melania Trump used enough of the speech to constitute infringement.”  She concluded by saying, “Be inspired by the works of others, but don’t copy them.  Don’t use the work of another—in whole or in part—without obtaining permission first.” 

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma—Americans for the Arts, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education, announced on Tuesday that Dunlap Codding, an Intellectual Property boutique law firm,has been named a BCA 10: Best Businesses Partnering with the Arts in America honoree for 2016.  

Presented every year by the Business Committee for the Arts (BCA), a division of Americans for the Arts, the BCA 10 awards honor 10 U.S. companies for their exceptional commitment to the arts through grants, local partnerships, volunteer programs, matching gifts, sponsorships, and board membership.  

In 2015 alone, Dunlap Codding opened its doors to host weekly events involving the creativity and arts communities: Theatre opening parties and board meetings, jazz improvisation nights, The Mix Concert Series, underground theatre, video screenings, weaving classes, storytelling festivals, and more.  The highlight of the year was the firm’s sponsorship of the Glitter Ball, a gala benefiting deadCENTER Film Festival, Sunbeam Family Services, and OKC Girls Art School.  The firm has also sponsored “Premiere on Film Row”—a monthly Art Walk/Street Festival.  In addition to offering the use of the space for free, thousands of firm volunteer hours have been donated and the firm has contributed many thousands of dollars to hosting, supporting, and funding these events.   

The BCA 10 Awards will be presented by Americans for the Arts on October 5, 2016, at a black-tie gala at the Central Park Boathouse in New York City. The 2016 honorees are:  

Austin Energy (Austin, TX)
Badger Meter (Milwaukee, WI)
CopperPoint Insurance Companies (Phoenix, AZ)
Dealer.com (Burlington, VT)
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, DE)
Dunlap Codding (Oklahoma City, OK)
Johnson & Johnson (New Brunswick, NJ)
M Powered Strategies, Inc. (Washington, DC)
Northern Trust (Chicago, IL)
Procter & Gamble (Cincinnati, OH) 

Dunlap Codding Shareholder Douglas J. Sorocco said, “Art and creativity enrich the soul and provide a means for community expression. By opening our doors to artists and creators, we help to foster a spirit of generosity, inclusiveness, empathy, and volunteerism. As we become more intertwined into this community, our own capacity for compassion and generosity is magnified.”

“We are grateful to honor these businesses for their exceptional involvement in ensuring that the arts thrive in their communities,” said Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. “These businesses provide the arts with significant financial and in-kind support, and they incorporate meaningful arts-related programs into their employee, customer, and community relations activities. They enrich the lives of millions of Americans and truly set a standard for other businesses to follow.”  

For information regarding BCA 10, please contact Emily Peck, Vice President of Private Sector Initiatives at (202) 371-2830 or via e-mail at epeck@artsusa.org. 

Dunlap Codding P.C., with offices in Austin, Chicago, Oklahoma City, and Washington, D.C., serves sophisticated international, national, and regional clients. Established in 1957 as Oklahoma’s original intellectual property firm, Dunlap Codding remains the state’s largest and most versatile IP boutique law firm. 

Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education in America. With offices in Washington, D.C. and New York City, it has a record of more than 50 years of service. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. Additional information is available at AmericansForTheArts.org.

Founded in 1967 by David Rockefeller, the Business Committee for the Arts (BCA), a division of Americans for the Arts, encourages, inspires, and stimulates businesses to support the arts in the workplace, in education, and in the community. The Business Committee for the Arts merged with Americans for the Arts in 2008.

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Media Contact:
Douglas J. Sorocco
405-607-8600
dsorocco@dunlapcodding.com

“Two of tech’s biggest behemoths are slugging it out in court,” reported Jon Swartz in an article in USA Today on May 11, 2016. After noting that billions of dollars of damages are at stake in this six-year software copyright case, Swartz quoted Dunlap Codding’s Jordan Sigale, an intellectual property lawyer and computer engineer.  “There are two issues.  Did Google practice fair use, and if Oracle was [infringed], how badly was it [damaged] financially?”  Sigale went on to say, “The onus is on Google to prove it transformed its use of Java into something more for use in Android.”

On May 3, 2016, BloombergBNA quoted Julie Langdon in “Supreme Court Will Review SCA Hygiene On Bar Against Patent Case Filing Delays.”  The article noted that “The U.S. Supreme Court agreed May 2 to review whether a patent owner can recover damages if it waits more than six years after becoming aware of infringement to file a complaint (SCA Hygiene Prods. AB v. First Quality Baby Prods. LLC, U.S., No. 15-927, review granted 5/2/16).”

The “laches” doctrine blocks a lawsuit when a plaintiff has waited too long to bring a lawsuit.  One issue raised in the instant case, is the difference between the language in the Patent Act, 35 U.S.C.  § 286, and the language in the Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. § 507(b), and whether a ruling by the Supreme Court relating to the applicability of laches under the Copyright Act (or lack thereof) applies similarly to the Patent Act. 

Langdon said, “The impact of a stronger (or weaker) laches defense will fall most heavily on non-practicing entities who primarily assert technology-related patents….And those patents [that are at least six years old and never asserted in an infringement action] are often being asserted by NPEs, or other entities that sit on their rights for years while others in that tech area develop potentially infringing products/methods.”

On May 4, 2016, Law360 published an article by Ryan Davis, “Fed. Circ. Could Ease On-Sale Bar Threat to Pharma Patents.”  The article noted that the Federal Circuit will hear arguments Thursday in a patent case regarding the blood-thinning drug Angiomax.  “The on-sale bar holds that an invention cannot be patented if it has been on sale for a year prior to the patent filing.  The court decided last year to reconsider when the bar applies after a panel used it to invalidate two of The Medicines Co.’s patents on Angiomax in a dispute with generics maker Hospira Inc.  The Medicines Co. did not sell Angiomax to the public before filing for a patent, but instead paid a supplier to make experimental batches while the drug was being developed.”

The article notes that Dunlap Codding Director Jordan Sigale opined that in recent years, companies  have become less integrated and more have begun outsourcing aspects of the production process to third parties.  This case will have widespread importance.  The panel’s holding that an outsourcing arrangement can render patents invalid under the on-sale bar, “makes it really super tough for companies that can’t make large quantities of things themselves, and there are a lot of companies like that….[if the ruling stands] it’s going to stunt the further  development of outsourcing culture….It bothers me because the whole idea of the on-sale bar as I understood it was that we don’t want companies to exploit their invention for a year of sales before they get a patent.  But that’s not what’s going on here….There’s a distinction in my mind between working with a third party to make sure the product meets FDA requirements and going out and selling to the public.”