Robert W. Stevenson has extensive experience in patent prosecution, litigation and intellectual property transactions in pharmaceutical, chemical, biotech and mechanical matters in both corporations and law firms. With regard to pharmaceuticals and biotech, he has filed and obtained over a hundred patents for clients, and obtained patents on commercially important medical devices. He has also litigated major cases in these fields.

Mr. Stevenson earned his bachelors degree in engineering from Pennsylvania State University (1977) and his master’s degree in engineering from the University of Michigan (1979). He earned his law degree from Wayne State University (1982).

Mr. Stevenson is registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office and is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania, Illinois and Michigan.

Prior to joining Synnestvedt & Lechner, Mr. Stevenson worked at Rohm and Haas as Senior Strategic Patent Counsel. He has additional corporate experience as an executive at Cell Pathways, Inc. (a publicly traded pharmaceutical company) as well as Abbott Laboratories. He has previous law firm experience as a partner at Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione in Chicago.

Mr. Stevenson joined Synnestvedt & Lechner in 2008 as counsel to the firm.

Year Joined Organization:

2008

Practice Group(s):

Biotechnology and BioPharma
Chemical and ChemPharma

Litigation

Bar Admissions:

Michigan Supreme Court, 1982
U.S. District Court, W.D. Michigan, 1982
United States Patent Office, 1983
Illinois Supreme Court, 1987
U.S. District Court, N.D. Illinois, 1989
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, 1993
Pennsylvania Supreme Court, 2005

Education:

The Pennsylvania State University, 1977
B.S.
Honors: With Distintion, Tao Beta Pi
Major: Engineering

The University of Michigan, 1979
M.S.
Major: Engineering

Wayne State University, 1982
J.D.

Past Employment:

Rohm and Haas Company, Philadelphia, PA.
Senior Strategic Patent Counsel, 2003 - 2008

Cell Pathways, Inc., Horsham, PA.
Vice President Intellectual Property and Assistant Secretary, 1997 – 2003

Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione, Chicago, IL
Equity Shareholder, 1988-1997

Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL
Senior Patent Counsel. 1985-1988

Price Heneveld Huizenga & Cooper, Michigan
Associate, 1982-1985

Professional Organizations & Memberships:

American Bar Association
Member

American Intellectual Property Law Association
Member

Representative Cases, Federal Court Actions:

Rohm and Haas Company v. Smilan Paint Company et al., 2:04 CV 05292 (C.D. Cal 2004) (settled)

Rohm and Haas Company v. Micro Paint System, Inc., 2:04 CV 0i137 (C.D. Cal 2004)(pending)(represented plaintiff)

In re Cell Pathways Securities Litigation II , Civil Action No. 01 CV 1189,(E. D. Pa. 2001)(settled)

Dow Chemical Co. v. Viskase Corp., 94 CV 6080 (N.D. Ill. 1994) (Represented defendant; plaintiff’s case dismissed)

Viskase Corp. v. American National Co., Civ. Action No. 93 C 7651 (N.D. Ill. 1993) ($102 million jury patent verdict for client)

TayMac Corp. v. Intermatic, Civ. Action No. 92-0842 PHXRGS, (D. Ariz. 1994) (represented defendant, judgment for defendant)

BP Chemicals, Ltd. v. Eastman Kodak Company, E.D. Tenn., 93-Civ-019 1993 (represented plaintiff; court ruled that defendant was licensed under patent in suit.)

Viskase Corp. v. W.R. Grace, Civ. Action No. 90 C 7515, (N.D. Ill. 1990) (represented plaintiff; case settled after discovery and prior to trial.)

Aluminum Company of America v. Reynolds Metals, Inc., Civ. Action No. 88 C 6019, (N.D. Ill. 1988)(represented plaintiff, jury found patent valid and infringed. Case settled on appeal.)

Baxter Travenol, Inc. v. Abbott Laboratories, Civ. Action No. 84 C 5103, (N.D. Ill. 1985) (represented defendant, case settled after discovery and before trial as a result of mediation hearing as lead counsel.)

Representative Cases, Interferences:

Williford v. Song, Serial No. 102,846

Lustig v. Tse, Serial No. 102,982

Tse v. Lustig, Serial No. 102,917

Kellenberger v. Duenk, Serial No. 102,172

Brennan v. Muetterties, Serial No. 100,817

Brennan v. Muetterties, Serial No. 101,078

Classes/Seminars Taught:

DePaul University School of Law, Chicago, IL. 1992-1996 Adjunct Professor of Patent Law

University of Pennsylvania Spring 2001 Symposium on Pharmaceutical and Biotech Patent Protection

American Chemical Society Mid Atlantic Regional Meeting June, 2006 “International Patent Protection and Strategy”