Banner & Witcoff Leads the Way in Design Patent Procurement for the Third Year in a Row, Procuring Design Patents for the World's Most Innovative and Design-Driven Companies

• Press Release
• Source: Banner & Witcoff
• On 10:40 am EST, Thursday January 8, 2009

WASHINGTON, DC--(MARKET WIRE)--Jan 8, 2009 -- Banner & Witcoff, Ltd., a leading intellectual property firm that is dedicated to the procurement, enforcement and litigation of intellectual property rights throughout the world, has once again set the record for prosecuting the most U.S. design patents to issuance by a law firm in a calendar year.

On December 31, 2008, Banner & Witcoff set the design patent procurement record for the third consecutive year by procuring 958 design patents on behalf of its clients. In 2007 the firm procured 744 design patents and in 2006 the firm procured 554 design patents. Prior to 2008, Banner & Witcoff was the only law firm to prosecute over 400 design patents in a calendar year.

Microsoft, NIKE, Nokia, Electrolux, and Toshiba collectively accounted for the majority of design patents procured by Banner & Witcoff this year as Banner & Witcoff obtained over 50 design patents for each of them. The firm also added Saverglass and Dedon to the design patent client list in 2008.

Robert S. Katz, principal shareholder and head of the design patent team at Banner & Witcoff, notes that this year has been a landmark year for design patent law. "The recent CAFC ruling in the Egyptian Goddess v. Swisa case has strengthened the design patent system in the U.S. There has been an increase in the number of designs being copied and imported into the U.S. Due to the combination of these two factors, we would expect that many design-driven companies will increase their design filings." Additionally, he indicated that "we would like to thank our design-driven clients for entrusting us with the responsibility to assist them in the protection of their designs."

About Banner & Witcoff, Ltd.

Banner & Witcoff, Ltd. is dedicated to excellence in the specialized practice of intellectual property law, including patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret, computer, franchise and unfair competition law. The firm actively engages in the procurement, enforcement and litigation of intellectual property rights throughout the world, including all federal and state agencies, and the distribution of such rights through licensing and franchising. The firm has over 90 attorneys and agents in its Chicago, Washington, DC, Boston and Portland, OR offices.

For more information about Banner & Witcoff please visit www.bannerwitcoff.com.

     Contact:
     Colleen Strasser
     312-463-5465
     Email Contact