Patents Intellectual Property Experienced Attorney Patent Lawyer TX CA NY

Theodore F. Shiells, the firm founder, has 30 years of experience in intellectual property law, primarily as a partner in large law firms in New York and Texas.  He is licensed to practice in Texas, New York and California and is a Registered Patent Attorney in the United States Patent and Trademark Office. 

His practice includes obtaining patents, trademarks, and copyrights for clients, litigating those matters in the courts, as well as drafting and negotiating license agreements and counseling clients on all aspects of intellectual property law. Mr. Shiells is one of a small number of patent attorneys experienced in Inter Partes Review ("IPR") proceedings in the Patent Trial and Appeals Board ("PTAB"). Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Shiells worked as an engineer for petroleum refinery facilities and pipelines.

Mr. Shiells' patent experience covers a wide range of technology including optical biosensors, nanotechnology, advanced helicopter and military image processing systems, telecommunications systems, sport equipment, and solar powered consumer lighting products. He regularly litigates patent, trademark and copyright infringement cases in Texas and throughout the United States.

 Mr. Shiells is A.V. Preeminant rated by Martindale-Hubbell. 

Mr. Shiells is a frequent speaker on intellectual property topics. The following are samples of conferences where he has been a panelist or featured speaker:

• Lecturer at University of Texas at Arlington on developments in patent law arising from the America Invents Act of 2012
• SCORE - For the Life of Your Business; Featured speaker; "Patents in the New Millenium: The Smith-Leahy "America Invents Act of 2011" 
• Panelist at the American University Washington College of Law on the US Supreme Court case Gunn v. Minton
• Panelist at the American Bar Association IP Litigation Regional CLE event “Presenting IP Damages:  Proving Your Case or Poking Holes in Your Adversary’s”
• Speaker at the Texas Bar CLE; "High Technology Litigation Boot Camp"

• "A comprehensive Approach to IP Lawyering," Texas Lawyer; co-authored
• "Wireless Applications Require a Comprehensive IP Protection Plan"; Dallas-Fort Worth TechBiz; co-authored
• "In a Novel Ruling, the Sixth Circuit Holds that Attorneys May Be Liable in a Bivens Action if They've Seized Goods That Allegedly Infringe a Copyright or Trademark," National Law Journal; co-authored
• "Putting Your Best Foot Forward: Planning For or Defending Against Damages in a Patent Infringement Case," American Bar Association; co-authored with Ann Fritsche

Experienced in patent law and all areas of patents  and intellectual property and admitted to the US Patent Office

• State Bar of California - 1983
• State Bar Of New York - 1984
• State Bar of Texas - 1996

Law School:             Hastings College of Law (University of California) 1983

Undergraduate:      University of California at Berkeley, Bachelors Degree in                                      Mechanical Engineering 1975 

Dallas Bar Assocation

United States Patent and Trademark Office

United States Supreme Court

United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Supreme Court of Texas

Supreme Court of New York

Supreme Court of California

United States District Court Northern District of Texas

United States District Court Southern District of Texas

United States District Court Eastern District of Texas

United States District Court Western District of Texas

United States District Court Southern District of New York

United States District Court Eastern District of New York

United States Court of Federal Claims

State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers, CA, 1979 - 2000    

 Interests and Community Involvement

• Supports and encourages attorneys and staff in community service endeavors
• Special interest in elder care issues
• Dallas Bar Association "Bar None" Show Performer
• Occasional network TV "extra," just for fun