RESUMÉ of MARK A. LITMAN

Education
B.S. Ch. E., Graduate studies (Org. Chem.) Cornell University 1966 J.D., American University, 1970.

Professional Employment
U.S. Patent Examiner, 1966-72; Senior Intellectual Property Counsel, 3M, 1972-96; 2d Vice President, Schwegman, Lundberg, Woessner and Kluth, P.A. 1996-2000; CEO Mark A. Litman & Associates P.A. 2000-date.

Technical Expertise
At 3M, Mark Litman was the primary attorney for five business units with annual sales exceeding 1 billion dollars, and three Research Laboratories/Research facilities. He has a broad range of technical expertise that has been developed with particular strengths in organic chemistry, material science, apparatus, gaming technology (including software and hardware for video gaming and table games) and imaging technology. The expertise in the imaging technologies includes both the physical materials disciplines (imaging media) as well as process technology, imaging apparatus, and software implementation. Imaging technologies include photography, electrophotography, digital imaging, NMR, sonograms, mass transfer imaging, X-ray, direct thermal, and other energy based systems, as well as the apparatus and processes (including software) utilized in the imaging systems. These disciplines have also required strong backgrounds in surfactants and antistatic agents (including fluorocarbons), polymer science (including expertise in polymerization techniques, polymer compositions, catalysis, crystalline morphology, and rheology) and coating technology. Technology base from private practice also includes extensive work with mechanical systems such as catheters, pacemakers, drug delivery systems (external and implantable), MR imaging systems, packaging materials, and agricultural processing. Over the past 15 years, over fifty applications on software and computer hardware have been written and prosecuted.

Professional Expertise
In addition to being a hands-on patent application writer and prosecutor, advanced skills in prosecution procedures and strategies world-wide have been developed. A unique range of experience has been acquired after five years as an Examiner in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, twenty-four years of writing and prosecuting nearly one thousand patent applications in the U.S. and over four thousand applications internationally. Specialized practice includes more than one hundred successful U.S. P.T.O. Appeals, interference proceedings, and personal appearances at EPO hearings and EPO Appeals.

As the Group Attorney for the Imaging Group of 3M, professional duties included client counseling at the Division, Group and Sector level, creation of core technology patent strategies, the negotiation and drafting of licensing agreements (internationally, including the EPO, Japan, China, Canada and South America), joint venture agreements and infringement/validity opinions. Negotiations have been accomplished as the lead negotiator with the highest levels of management and counsel internationally. Work experience also includes active management of litigation as both in-house counsel and private practitioner.

Professional Articles have been published (1979 and 1989) in the Journal of the Patent Office Society, and those articles have been cited in Chisholm on Patents and in decisions by the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Continuing Legal Education Programs presented include "Negotiating in Diverse Cultures, (1996)" (MN CLE), Advanced Appellate Practice (MILE, 1994) and "Recent PTO Policy Issues" (MIPLA, 1998). In 2002 Mr. Litman gave a presentation on the unique issues of Patent Protection in the Gaming Industry at Global Gaming 2002. Mark A. Litman also has four patents as an inventor and donates time to Young Inventors Congress of Minnesota and acts as a judge for The William Mitchell College of Law moot court competitions.

Mark Litman has also drafted and presented a program for training attorneys while at 3M. That program has been prepared solely by him and has been offered and presented to companies and universities. He also has extensive negotiation background and working relationships with Universities throughout the U.S. and the U.K.

Professional Associations
Member District of Columbia Bar (by Examination), Member Minnesota Bar (by Examination) U.S. Patent Bar; Minnesota Intellectual Property Legal Association, AIPLA