Z. Peter Sawicki

Patent & Trademark Attorney, Shareholder

Contact Info

Z. Peter Sawicki has been a patent attorney since 1980. During that time he has obtained extensive experience in the preparation and prosecution of patent applications throughout the world. His domestic and international patent practice has included chemical, biotechnology, human food and animals feed, immunology, laser delivery systems, nanoparticle counters, radiotherapy, polymers and mechanical arts. He has provided counseling and opinions in patentability, patent validity, product clearance searches, patent infringement matters, and patent portfolio management, analysis and strategy. He has represented clients in Reissue and Reexamination proceedings in the U.S. Patent Office.

In addition to his patent focus, he is also experienced in the clearance and registration of trademarks in the United States and throughout the world. He has represented clients in contested proceedings in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and has supervised contested patent and trademark proceedings in jurisdictions outside of the United States.

In his representation of clients in both patent and trademark matters, he has negotiated and drafted licenses, joint venture, joint collaboration, joint development and other agreements in a variety of technologies in both domestic and international situations.

Bar Admissions

United States Patent and Trademark Office
Minnesota State Bar
Federal Court for the District of Minnesota
Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit
Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
Canadian Patent Office
Canadian Trademarks Office

Education

Hamline University School of Law, JD (1980)
College of St. Thomas, MBA (1977)
Purdue University, B.S. Chemical Engineering (1972)

Professional Affiliations

Member, American Intellectual Property Law Association
Member, International Trademark Association
Past Board Member of Minnesota Intellectual Law Association
Member, Minnesota Intellectual Property Law Association
Member, Minnesota State Bar Association
Member, Licensing Executives Society
Member, American Chemical Society

Honors

“Who’s Who in American Law” (since 1990)
“Who’s Who in America” (since 1993)
Guide to Leading American Attorneys, Minnesota (since 1996)
Minnesota Super Lawyers (1990-2007)
Minnesota Guidebook: Law & Leading Attorneys
Martindale-Hubbell: Rating of AV Preeminent
Legal Leaders-Minnesota’s Top Rated Lawyers of 2013

Areas of Practice

Patents
Trademarks
Copyright
Licensing, joint venture, joint collaboration, joint development and other agreements
Patent portfolio analysis
Freedom to operate opinions
Validity/non-infringement opinions
Acquisitions
Patent portfolio management and strategy
Trademark opposition/cancellation proceedings
PCT National Phase Filings and Paris Convention filings in the US.

Areas of Technical Expertise

Polymers
Medical Devices
Surgical Procedures
Immunology
Food Technology
Animal Feeds
Pharmaceuticals
Mechanical Devices
Electromechanical Devices
Organic Chemistry
Material Science including Semi-conductors
Laser and Optical Systems for Lasers
Nanoparticle counters
Radiotherapy

Presentations

Patent Eligible Subject Matter in the United States
The Fourth Biological Medicine Intellectual Property Summit Forum, Shenzhen, China, 2013
Overview of Trademark Law
Kinney & Lange Seminar – Overview of Intellectual Property Law for Business Lawyers, Minneapolis, MN, June 2000; Sioux Falls, SD, September 2000
Overview of Patent Law
Kinney & Lange Seminar – Overview of Intellectual Property Law for Business Lawyers, Minneapolis, MN, June 1999; Milwaukee, WI, June 1999; Des Moines, IA, August 1999; Fargo, ND, September 1999; Sioux Falls, SD, September 1999
Overview of Trademark Law
Kinney & Lange Seminar – Overview of Intellectual Property Law for Business Lawyers, Minneapolis, MN, June 1998; Sioux Falls, SD, November 1998
Overview of Trade Secret Law
Kinney & Lange Seminar – Overview of Intellectual Property Law for Business Lawyers, Minneapolis, MN, June 1997; Milwaukee, WI, June 1997
Overview of Trademark Law
Kinney & Lange Seminar – Overview of Intellectual Property Law for Business Lawyers, Minneapolis, MN, June 1995; Cedar Rapids, IA, June 1995; Milwaukee, WI

Published Articles

All About the Basics – Intellectual Property 101
Attorney at Law, November 2014
Intellectual Property and the Supreme Court’s 2013-2014 Term
Attorney at Law, October 2014
Naked! Gross! Creepy! – Trademark Protection Practice Tips
Attorney at Law, September 2014
Trademark Registration in Other Countries It’s Not Important – Until It’s Important!
Attorney at Law, August 2014
Chinese Design Patent Protection
Attorney at Law, July 2014
A Model Patent Strategy for China
Attorney at Law, June 2014
Trademark Registration in China – More and More Important
Attorney at Law, May 2014
Trademark Disclaimers, A Cautionary Tale
Attorney at Law, April 2014
Trademark Fair Use – How to Play Fair with Brands of Others
Attorney at Law, March 2014
U.S. Patents – File Early and File Often
Attorney at Law, February 2014
ICANN Begins Issuing New gTLDs-LOL or FOMO?
Attorney at Law, January 2014
Pet on Trails Litigation Weekend Update: What Exactly is All the Furry Fuss About
Attorney at Law, December 2013
The Record of Invention – A Thing of the Past?
Attorney at Law, November 2013
E-mail Scam Alert! Don’t Trust That Really Nice Stranger on the Internet
Attorney at Law, October 2013
Copyright Fair Use
Attorney at Law, September 2013
Patenting Biologicals: Myriad Issue and Options in the Wake of Myriad
Bench & Bar of Minnesota, September 2013
So Your Client Wants to Open a Restaurant
Attorney at Law, August 2013
Intellectual Property Filers Beware: The Scammers Are Out to Get You!
Attorney at Law, July 2013
Top Ten Urban IP Myths
Attorney at Law, June 2013
Your Client Just Granted a Security Interest in its Intellectual Property; Now: How to Screw Things Up for the Lender!
Attorney at Law, May 2013
Federal Trademark Registration – Why Bother?
Attorney at Law, April 2013
Design Patents: Narrow, Often Overlooked, Relatively Expensive and Increasingly Useful
Attorney at Law, March 2013
U.S. Patent Law Revision: Ten Years in the Making
Attorney at Law, February 2013
Copyright Ownership: A Mere Handshake Isn’t Good Enough
Attorney at Law, January 2013
Cancer Therapy Based on a Mechanism of Action for Controlling the Immune System and the Resulting Patent Portfolio
Recent Patents on Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Drug Discovery, January 2013
Patent Marking: Can You Notice Me Now
Attorney at Law, December 2012

Exemplary Patents

U.S. 8,679,841; Allogeneic cell compositions with cross-linked CD3/CD28
U.S. 8,641,872; Non-thermal plasma synthesis with carbon component
U.S. 8,313,944; Methods to cause differentiation of T-cells for use in cell therapy
U.S. 8,298,813; Method for preparing an expanded product for fermentation
U.S. 8,298,587; Method for stimulating a therapeutic immune effect in a patient
U.S. 8,278,487; Catalytic process for the ammoximation of carbonyl compounds
U.S. 8,273,377; Method for allogeneic cell therapy
U.S. 8,137,679; Immunogen adherence inhibitor directed to Lactobacillus organisms and method of making and using it
U.S. 8,125,215; Measuring vibrations of a turbo-machine rotor blade with the help of an induction sensor in high temperature
U.S. 8,080,003; Method and implantable apparatus for the intra-osseal monitoring of biological substances in the bone marrow
U.S. 8,076,135; Method of preparing a treatment effective amount of allogeneic T-cells
U.S. 8,071,374; Methods for preparing T-cells for cell therapy
U.S. 8,012,750; T-cell activation device
U.S. 7,972,594; Ablative immunotherapy
U.S. 7,956,164; Device for enhancing immunostimulatory capabilities of T-cells
U.S. 7,951,839; 6R-(3,6-dideoxy-L-arabino-hexopyranosyloxy)heptanoic acid, reparation process for the same and dauer effect thereof
U.S. 7,943,180; Method for stimulating a host immune system by administering an allogeneic cell material
U.S. 7,838,695; Neuroactive substance and uses of one such substance
U.S. 7,829,208; Chromium nitride layer for magnetic recording medium
U.S. 7,753,903; Method and implantable apparatus for the intra-osseal monitoring of biological substances in the bone marrow, including without limitation, glucose, the intra-osseal delivery of drugs, including without limitation, insulin, the integration of foregoing, and related or ancillary matters
U.S. 7,678,572; Methods for preparing T-cells for cell therapy
U.S. 7,592,431; Biodegradable T-cell Activation device
U.S. 7,592,309; Method of using a peptide having analgesic and antitumor activity from scorpion
U.S. 7,576,225; 6R-(3,6-dideoxy-L-arabino-hexopyranosyloxy) heptanoic acid, preparation process for the same and dauer effect thereof
U.S. 7,560,109; Immunogen adherence inhibitor directed to lactic acid producing organisms and method of making and using it
U.S. 7,435,592; Compositions for allogeneic cell therapy
U.S. 7,402,431; T-cell therapy formulation
U.S. 7,294,697; Short chain neurotoxin from sea snake-Lapemis hardwickii and genes encoding the neurotoxin
U.S. 7,238,351; Immunogen adherence inhibitor directed to lactic acid producing organisms and method of making and using it

Food and Feed Science

U.S. 8,591,979; Multiphase oil continuous flavor and ingredient delivery system
U.S. 8,440,218; Method for enhancing milk production
U.S. 8,329,245; Method of forming a non-fractionated, room-temperature pourable butter
U.S. 8,293,311; Refrigeration-temperature spreadable butter-based product
U.S. 8,293,310; Method of forming a non-fractionated, room-temperature pourable butter
U.S. 8,181,433; Method of lap sealing a molten cheese product with non-wax film
U.S. 8,110,214; Method and composition for enhancing milk production and milk component concentrations
U.S. 8,092,987; Mucosa tissue preserved with heating and hydrogen peroxide or phosphoric acid
U.S. 8,092,853; Gel based livestock feed, method of manufacture and use
U.S. 8,062,689; Selective starch feeding protocol
U.S. 7,955,629; Method of feeding milk replacer with carnitine
U.S. 7,943,191; Egg based foodstuff resembling french fries and the method of making same
U.S. 7,927,646; Refrigeration-temperature spreadable butter-based product 7,943,191;
U.S. 7,785,644; Method of making a food product having a veined appearance and products therefrom
U.S. 7,608,292; Method of processing soy protein
U.S. 7,550,172; Selective feeding of starch to increase milk production in ruminants
U.S. 7,371,401; Animal feed with a soluble fiber and sugar alcohol and method of making and method of feeding
U.S. 7,297,354; Protein material
U.S. 7,279,191; Method of forming a non-fractionated, room temperature pourable butter
U.S. 7,160,552; Method of feeding a ruminant
U.S. 7,157,221; Processes for making protein hydrolysates from animal peptone and for preserving mucosa
U.S. 7,037,518; Method for enhancing milk production

Physics/Chemical Engineering

U.S. 8,681,936; Radiotherapeutic apparatus
U.S. 8,646,459; Two-ply fabric low friction interface
U.S. 8,642,375; Preparation method of organic photovoltaic cell’s photoactive layer using aerosol jet printing
U.S. 8,603,580; High stability and high capacity precursor vapor generation for thin film deposition
U.S. 8,554,064; Method and apparatus for generating vapor at high rates
U.S. 8,552,667; Linear accelerator
U.S. 8,537,373; Position detection
U.S. 8,529,985; Method for liquid precursor atomization
U.S. 8,511,583; Fine droplet atomizer for liquid precursor vaporization
U.S. 8,503,608; Radiotherapeutic apparatus
U.S. 8,465,791; Method for counting particles in a gas
U.S. 8,442,294; Motion artefact reduction in CT scanning
U.S. 8,393,599; Method and apparatus for liquid precursor atomization
U.S. 8,387,187; Positioning system
U.S. 8,358,738; Respiration-correlated radiotherapy
U.S. 8,331,526; On-Line cone beam CT reconstruction
U.S. 8,297,223; Method and apparatus for particle filtration and enhancing tool performance in film deposition
U.S. 8,240,212; Induction sensor to measure vibrations of a turbo-machine rotor blade
U.S. 8,224,055; Calibration of volume acquired images
U.S. 8,144,833; Planning for adaptive radiotherapy
U.S. 8,132,793; Method and apparatus for liquid precursor atomization
U.S. 8,125,215; Measuring vibrations of a turbo-machine rotor blade with the help of an induction sensor in high temperature
U.S. 8,111,170; Remote area sensor system
U.S. 8,090,076; Collimation apparatus for radiotherapy
U.S. 7,961,843; Radiotherapeutic apparatus
U.S. 7,924,971; Radiographic apparatus
U.S. 7,907,699; Radiotherapeutic apparatus
U.S. 7,882,799; Method and apparatus for generating charged particles for deposition on a surface
U.S. 7,860215; Imaging systems for ionizing radiation
U.S. 7,830,510; Apparatus for high-accuracy fiber counting in air
U.S. 7,796,728; X-ray apparatus
U.S. 7,763,865; Improvements in or relating to radiotheraputic apparatus
U.S. 7,742,575; Multi-leaf collimator
U.S. 7,729,473; Image-guided multi-source radiotherapy
U.S. 7,672,428; Improvements in or relating to radiotherapy apparatus