Brian L.Michaelis
Partner
Intellectual Property
bmichaelis@seyfarth.com
Brian uses a full range of intellectual property mechanisms to protect and grow his clients’ most valuable assets.
More About Brian
Intellectual property protection is generally not a "one size fits all" proposition. Clients need help defining their objectives and imperatives, while at the same time understanding the mechanisms to protect or defend intellectual property. Brian brings more than 30 years of experience deploying a wide range of IP protection mechanisms, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and contracts to meet diverse objectives and imperatives.
Brian works with leading companies in almost all of the markets serviced by the firm. Clients range from early stage, emerging technology companies to global innovators. With nearly a decade of in-house engineering experience in manufacturing and research and development, Brian has developed and worked intimately in the development of technology that he now works daily to protect. With substantial experience in the technology development and manufacturing environments, Brian is attuned to the development process and the stages of development. This experience allows him to use the right mechanism at the right time to achieve good protection at an appropriate cost.
As practice group chair, Brian leads teams in the procurement and enforcement of IP rights, assembling the right mix of skills and resources to match firm resources to client needs. Brian's IP practice group solves information management challenges with an inventive mix of technology and process design. With the assistance of the firm’s Lean Solutions group, Brian helps create software solutions that interface with SeyfarthLink to aid in information management. For example, in patent prosecution work, he helped to develop an electronic invention disclosure form to provide a means for inventors to submit and store invention disclosures to the client company.
Brian works with leading companies in almost all of the markets serviced by the firm. Clients range from early stage, emerging technology companies to global innovators. With nearly a decade of in-house engineering experience in manufacturing and research and development, Brian has developed and worked intimately in the development of technology that he now works daily to protect. With substantial experience in the technology development and manufacturing environments, Brian is attuned to the development process and the stages of development. This experience allows him to use the right mechanism at the right time to achieve good protection at an appropriate cost.
As practice group chair, Brian leads teams in the procurement and enforcement of IP rights, assembling the right mix of skills and resources to match firm resources to client needs. Brian's IP practice group solves information management challenges with an inventive mix of technology and process design. With the assistance of the firm’s Lean Solutions group, Brian helps create software solutions that interface with SeyfarthLink to aid in information management. For example, in patent prosecution work, he helped to develop an electronic invention disclosure form to provide a means for inventors to submit and store invention disclosures to the client company.
- JD, Franklin Pierce Law Center
- BS, New Hampshire College
Cum laude
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- United States Patent and Trademark Office - Registered Patent Attorney
Related Key Industries
Blogs
Related News & Insights
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Blog Post
Oct 31, 2024
Café con Cannabis – California’s Cannabis Café Law and Trademark Considerations
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Blog Post
Aug 28, 2024
Reefer Madness – TTAB Dismisses Opposition Because Cannabis Company Lacked Bona Fide Intent To Use Its Mark
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Blog Post
Aug 19, 2024
Bully for You: Cannabis Company Fails to Adequately Plead “Trademark Bullying” Defense Says the TTAB
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Firm News
08/15/2024
220 Seyfarth Attorneys Chosen as Leaders in Their Fields by Best Lawyers in America 2025
- Listed in Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.) for Patent Law (2024-2025); Trademark Law (2024-2025)
- Recognized as a Recommended Individual (Massachusetts) by IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
- Recognized as a "Go To" Lawyer for Intellectual Property by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (2021)
- American Intellectual Property Law Association
- Boston Patent Law Association
- American Bar Association
- Massachusetts Bar Association
- Boston Bar Association
- Federal Circuit Bar Association
- Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
- ITechLaw Association
- Co-Author, "Cannabis Case Lights Up Benefits Of Creative IP Protection," Law360 (March 19, 2024)
- Co-Author, "The Impact of AI Technology on Securing and Protecting Intellectual Property Rights," 2024 Commercial Litigation Outlook, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 2024)
- Co-Author, "Blunders That Made 'Bakked' Cannabis TM Go Up In Smoke," Law360 (July 17, 2023)
- Co-Author, "Ornamentality: When Eye-Catching Isn’t Distinctive," Boston Patent Law Association (March 16, 2022)
- Co-Author, "PTAB Expands Definition of 'Covered Business Method'," Seyfarth Shaw PTAB Blog (September 30, 2015)
- Co-Author, "Federal Circuit Further Defines What Types of Software May Be Patentable," One Minute Memo, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (November 20, 2014)
- "What Retailers Need to Know About Protecting Their Intellectual Property," Presentation and Webinar, Lawline CLE Course (May 12, 2015)
- "Choosing The Right IP Protection: Patent, Trade Secret, or Both?," Webinar, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (October 6, 2011)
Brian uses a full range of intellectual property mechanisms to protect and grow his clients’ most valuable assets.
More About Brian
Intellectual property protection is generally not a "one size fits all" proposition. Clients need help defining their objectives and imperatives, while at the same time understanding the mechanisms to protect or defend intellectual property. Brian brings more than 30 years of experience deploying a wide range of IP protection mechanisms, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and contracts to meet diverse objectives and imperatives.
Brian works with leading companies in almost all of the markets serviced by the firm. Clients range from early stage, emerging technology companies to global innovators. With nearly a decade of in-house engineering experience in manufacturing and research and development, Brian has developed and worked intimately in the development of technology that he now works daily to protect. With substantial experience in the technology development and manufacturing environments, Brian is attuned to the development process and the stages of development. This experience allows him to use the right mechanism at the right time to achieve good protection at an appropriate cost.
As practice group chair, Brian leads teams in the procurement and enforcement of IP rights, assembling the right mix of skills and resources to match firm resources to client needs. Brian's IP practice group solves information management challenges with an inventive mix of technology and process design. With the assistance of the firm’s Lean Solutions group, Brian helps create software solutions that interface with SeyfarthLink to aid in information management. For example, in patent prosecution work, he helped to develop an electronic invention disclosure form to provide a means for inventors to submit and store invention disclosures to the client company.
Brian works with leading companies in almost all of the markets serviced by the firm. Clients range from early stage, emerging technology companies to global innovators. With nearly a decade of in-house engineering experience in manufacturing and research and development, Brian has developed and worked intimately in the development of technology that he now works daily to protect. With substantial experience in the technology development and manufacturing environments, Brian is attuned to the development process and the stages of development. This experience allows him to use the right mechanism at the right time to achieve good protection at an appropriate cost.
As practice group chair, Brian leads teams in the procurement and enforcement of IP rights, assembling the right mix of skills and resources to match firm resources to client needs. Brian's IP practice group solves information management challenges with an inventive mix of technology and process design. With the assistance of the firm’s Lean Solutions group, Brian helps create software solutions that interface with SeyfarthLink to aid in information management. For example, in patent prosecution work, he helped to develop an electronic invention disclosure form to provide a means for inventors to submit and store invention disclosures to the client company.
- JD, Franklin Pierce Law Center
- BS, New Hampshire College
Cum laude
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- United States Patent and Trademark Office - Registered Patent Attorney
Related Key Industries
Blogs
Related News & Insights
-
Blog Post
Oct 31, 2024
Café con Cannabis – California’s Cannabis Café Law and Trademark Considerations
-
Blog Post
Aug 28, 2024
Reefer Madness – TTAB Dismisses Opposition Because Cannabis Company Lacked Bona Fide Intent To Use Its Mark
-
Blog Post
Aug 19, 2024
Bully for You: Cannabis Company Fails to Adequately Plead “Trademark Bullying” Defense Says the TTAB
-
Firm News
08/15/2024
220 Seyfarth Attorneys Chosen as Leaders in Their Fields by Best Lawyers in America 2025
- Listed in Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.) for Patent Law (2024-2025); Trademark Law (2024-2025)
- Recognized as a Recommended Individual (Massachusetts) by IAM Patent 1000 (2024)
- Recognized as a "Go To" Lawyer for Intellectual Property by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (2021)
- American Intellectual Property Law Association
- Boston Patent Law Association
- American Bar Association
- Massachusetts Bar Association
- Boston Bar Association
- Federal Circuit Bar Association
- Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
- ITechLaw Association
- Co-Author, "Cannabis Case Lights Up Benefits Of Creative IP Protection," Law360 (March 19, 2024)
- Co-Author, "The Impact of AI Technology on Securing and Protecting Intellectual Property Rights," 2024 Commercial Litigation Outlook, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 2024)
- Co-Author, "Blunders That Made 'Bakked' Cannabis TM Go Up In Smoke," Law360 (July 17, 2023)
- Co-Author, "Ornamentality: When Eye-Catching Isn’t Distinctive," Boston Patent Law Association (March 16, 2022)
- Co-Author, "PTAB Expands Definition of 'Covered Business Method'," Seyfarth Shaw PTAB Blog (September 30, 2015)
- Co-Author, "Federal Circuit Further Defines What Types of Software May Be Patentable," One Minute Memo, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (November 20, 2014)
- "What Retailers Need to Know About Protecting Their Intellectual Property," Presentation and Webinar, Lawline CLE Course (May 12, 2015)
- "Choosing The Right IP Protection: Patent, Trade Secret, or Both?," Webinar, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (October 6, 2011)