Megan D. Dortenzo

Practices

• Intellectual Property

Professional Experience

Megan is a registered patent attorney and a partner in and Practice Group Leader of the firm's Intellectual Property practice group. She focuses her practice on a full range of intellectual property matters involving patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret and unfair competition law. Megan regularly counsels clients on intellectual property matters, preparation and prosecution of domestic and international patent applications and domestic trademark applications, patent and trademark validity and infringement opinions, registration of copyright material, license and non-disclosure agreements, and assisting in related federal litigation. She also has long and deep experience in e-commerce issues.

Prior to joining Thompson Hine, Megan was a partner at Steptoe & Johnson, PLLC in Clarksburg, West Virginia. She served as an adjunct professor for patent law at West Virginia University, School of Law.

Megan is admitted to practice in Ohio, West Virginia and Maryland.

Technical Experience
Design, development and implementation of computer software systems; biometric identification systems; computer control systems; operating systems; electro-mechanical systems; printer technologies; PCMCIA card technology; micro-electromechanical systems; e-commerce systems; business methods; aviation control systems; mechanical products including medical devices, valves, couplers, sports equipment and packaging.

Education

• University of Maryland School of Law, J.D., 1995
• The Johns Hopkins University, M.S., 1989
• College of William and Mary, B.S., 1985

• Representation of manufacturers and universities in utility patent as well as design patent infringement matters.
• Representation of businesses and universities in trademark infringement matters.
• Representation of clients in copyright infringement matters, such as disputes involving the Architectural Act, advertisement issues, and commercial use of photographs.
• Representation of businesses in misappropriation of trade secrets disputes.
• Represented numerous clients before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
• Represented clients in developing protection strategies for proprietary intellectual property assets, licensing and assignment of intellectual property, and reviewing and analyzing intellectual property portfolios.
• Advised clients on the benefits and risk of using open source software in the development of proprietary systems.

• "Ada PC Environments Offer a Change from Mainframes" · Government Computer News, November 13, 1989
• "Ada Forces and Entry" · PC Tech Journal for U.K. Integrators and Developers, June 1989
• "Ada Out of Uniform" · PC Tech Journal, April 1989

• "Protecting Your Intellectual Property – Open Source Software: An Open Door to the Public?", Spotlight On Women Seminar, April 19, 2005
• Numerous presentations to professional associations, West Virginia state agencies, and clients on the basics of intellectual property law.
• Numerous presentations on specific tenants of intellectual property law, including, fair use under the Copyright Act, inventorship and ownership issues of a patent, and open source software and licensing.
• Participation on an intellectual property panel at West Virginia University, discussing the various issues for protecting proprietary assets.

• Selected into the 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 editions of Best Lawyers in America, Intellectual Property Law
• WVU School of Law, Women’s Law Caucus, 2002 Distinguished Woman in the Law Award in the Private Sector
• Associate Editor, The Business Lawyer – an ABA sponsored journal, 1994
• University of Maryland Law School, Law & Entrepreneurship Fellow (Intellectual Property), 1994
• LORAL Star Award, 1991
• Computer Sciences Corporation Group Achievement Award, 1991
• NASA Group Achievement Award, 1989
• Westinghouse Creativity Award, 1989
• Letter of Commendation for technical assistance, 1988
• Computer Sciences Corporation Ada Productivity Award, 1986