Thomas P. Pavelko is an Associate Chair of the firm's Patent Prosecution Practice Group and specializes in patent prosecution, infringement and validity counseling, litigation, appellate practice, Food and Drug Administration practice and is experienced with interferences in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Mr. Pavelko has practical experience as an engineer in a steel mill and his technical expertise includes many areas of organic and inorganic chemistry including polymer compositions and processing and related products such as laminate floors and accessories, food science, alloys, pharmaceutical chemicals and formulations, agricultural chemicals and dyestuffs. He is ranked as "AV" from Martindale-Hubbel Law Directory, the highest rating given to participating attorneys. Over the years, Mr. Pavelko has been recognized by his peers as a top lawyer in his field.
Mr. Pavelko has experience as a primary examiner in the Patent and Trademark Office, examining patent applications in the fields of ceramics, concrete, polymer processing and chemistry. His duties also included teaching chemical engineering to examiners within the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, clerking for the United States Patent and Trademark Board of Appeals, and serving in the Office of Quality Review.
Before entering private practice, he was assistant solicitor in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, a position in which he prepared and presented written briefs and oral arguments to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and acted as co-counsel in civil litigation brought under 35 U.S.C. ยง145 on behalf of the Commissioner of Patents. Since entering private practice, Mr. Pavelko has extensive experience litigating patent, trade secret, and related issues in the federal courts.
Publications and Speeches
"Patent Protection in Europe Past, Present and Future", SEMA News, Aug. 2007, Vol. 43/No. 08
"Anything You Say To Your Foreign Attorney May Be Used Against You."
Practice Areas
Admissions
- U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
- District of Columbia
- Virginia
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- Various U.S. District Courts
Education
- George Mason University School of Law, J.D. with honors
- Newark College of Engineering, B.S. Chemical Engineering
Professional Affiliations
- American Bar Association (ABA), Member - Patent, Trademark, and Copyright Section
- American International Property Law Association
- Intellectual Association for the Protection of Industrial Property