Karen has 26 years of experience working in the intellectual property and information technology field. Her primary focus is currently on patent work. She drafts the paperwork for both US national and international patent applications for filing. Karen communicates with the PCT Office regarding formality requirements and drafts responses to invitations to fulfill the requirements, including sequence listings. Karen works directly with clients to obtain execution of formal documents, and works closely with foreign associates during the prosecution of national patent applications. She drafts required paperwork and correspondence to foreign associates to file national and/or PCT national phase applications and handles all formalities required by the national patent offices. Karen reviews official communications and drafts correspondence to clients regarding deadlines, instructions, status reports and Notices of Allowance. She also conducts searches of related and corresponding applications to obtain all prior art to prepare and file Information Disclosure Statements in US applications and to provide to foreign associates. She conducts due diligence searches on various patent databases to determine ownership and status. Karen is currently responsible for payment of all foreign annuities and US maintenance fees. She has attended several patent seminars, with special emphasis on revisions to PCT regulations.
Karen has conducted preliminary trademark searches, drafted and filed US and foreign trademark applications, US Statements of Use, US Declarations of Use, and US and foreign renewal applications. She has drafted responses to office actions, notices of oppositions and oppositions. She has corresponded with foreign associates, including handling formality requirements.
Karen has been responsible for docketing both patent and trademark matters and has been involved in the review and decision of various software and database programs utilized by the IP Department.