John Pratt joined the firm in 1977. He founded and led the phenomenal growth of the firm's Atlanta patent prosecution practice, chairs the firm's intellectual property practice and practices primarily in the patent area, including patent prosecution, litigation and licensing. Mr. Pratt served, from 1999 through 2001, as general counsel to an Internet consulting firm, Enterpulse, during which period Enterpulse survived the Internet downturn. Mr. Pratt regularly lecturers at continuing education seminars, particularly on patent law, licensing, trade secret protection and restrictive covenants. He was involved in drafting the Georgia Trade Secrets Act of 1990. Mr. Pratt is listed as #1 in the 2011 edition of Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business for Intellectual Property and has been listed in that publication each year since 2005. He was listed as an International Who's Who of Patent Lawyers for 2011 and was also listed in the 2011 edition of International Who's Who of Business Lawyers in the area of Patent Law. Mr. Pratt has also been listed in The Best Lawyers in America® for 2012 and each of the 20 years preceding. He was recognized as a Georgia "Super Lawyer" in Intellectual Property in 2009, 2010 and 2011 and Intellectual Property Litigation in 2009 by SuperLawyers magazine. He was named by Legal Media Group to its 2010 Guide to the World's Leading Patent Law Practitioners. Mr. Pratt was also named as one of Georgia's "Legal Elite" by Georgia Trend magazine and is AV® rated by Martindale-Hubbell. An accomplished woodworker, furniture maker and woodworking tool expert, Mr. Pratt devotes a portion of his practice to tool and furniture patent matters. His woodworking has been the subject of an ABA Journal article, and he has been featured in the Fulton County Daily Report and the Atlanta Business Chronicle for the beautiful American Flag that he recently created. The spectacular piece of artwork is made of black cherry (red), curly maple (white) and walnut (brown and dyed blue) and currently hangs in Kilpatrick Townsend's Atlanta office. Industries Manufacturing; Health & Life Sciences; Education & Research Experience Con Pac S., Inc. v. Weyerhaeuser Co., Served as lead counsel on behalf of Weyerhaeuser Company, a major U.S. forest products manufacturer, in a patent infringement suit relating to packaging materials for food products. We engaged in early written discovery and helped our client obtain a covenant not to sue and dismissal of plaintiff's claims. Case dismissed with prejudice.
Con Pac S., Inc. v. Weyerhaeuser Co., No. 06-055 (M.D. Ga. filed July 10, 2006). Oklahoma Med. Research Found. v. Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc., The firm served as lead counsel on behalf of Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation in a patent infringement suit brought in the Northern District of Oklahoma against Alexion Pharmaceuticals. The patents related to complement-inhibition technology and their use in a drug marketed by Alexion to treat a rare, debilitating and life-threatening disease. After replacing OMRF's previous counsel in the matter and soon after claim construction briefing was complete, we obtained a settlement. It included payment to our client as well as public acknowledgement that individuals affiliated with OMRF were the true inventors of the technology at issue.
Oklahoma Med. Research Found. v. Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., No. 07-163 (N.D. Okla. filed Mar. 15, 2007). Fort James Corp. & Fort James Operating Co. v. J.H. McNairn, Ltd., et al., The firm served as lead counsel on behalf of Georgia-Pacific LLC's subsidiaries in a patent infringement suit against two competitors in the Northern District of Georgia involving composite food wrap products. Following a favorable Markman ruling in which the court adopted our clients' claim construction arguments, the parties reached a settlement involving cash payment and an ongoing royalty-bearing license.
Fort James Corp. & Fort James Operating Co. v. J.H. McNairn, Ltd., et al., No. 04-3000 (N.D. Ga. filed Oct. 14, 2004). Verizon Services Corp. v. Cox Fibernet Va., Inc., Trial counsel on behalf of Cox Communications, which was accused of infringing a competitor's patents relating to voice over IP technology. We obtained a jury verdict of no patent infringement of six patents and invalidity of two patents. Affirmed by the Federal Circuit.
Verizon Servs. Corp. v. Cox Fibernet Va., Inc., No. 08-157 (E.D. Va. filed Jan. 11, 2008). Patent prosecution and counseling for Interface, Inc., Developed a patent portfolio for Interface Inc., a leading manufacturer of carpet tile, through the use of both design and utility patent protection. Interface's inventions often include both ornamental and utilitarian aspects. By understanding the carpet tile design process and how designs impact the functionality of carpet tiles, we have been able to secure groundbreaking utility patents directed to design features on the tiles by establishing the utilitarian functions and benefits of such features. Grandparent adoption, Represents caregivers seeking to adopt children. One of the firm's signature pro bono programs is the Grandparent Adoption Program. Dozens of lawyers have been trained to represent grandparents and other relative caregivers who step up to raise young children in their extended family when the children's parents are unable or unwilling to do so. Working in partnership with local legal aid programs, lawyers accept referrals of eligible families, and prepare and file the required documents to effect the adoption. Hundreds of children's lives have been stabilized as a result of the firm's involvement. Patent litigation for provider of automatic order fulfillment systems, The firm served as lead counsel on behalf of a provider of automatic order fulfillment systems in a patent infringement suit brought by a pharmacy automation company in the Northern District of Georgia. Plaintiff accused our client of infringing a patent related to automated prescription filling systems. Summary judgment was granted in favor of our client and affirmed by the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Milliken & Company v. Interface, Inc., et al., Lead counsel on behalf of Interface Inc., a leading manufacturer of carpet tile, in patent litigation filed by one of its largest competitors alleging hundreds of millions of dollars in damages as a result of infringement of two patents. After a three-week jury trial, the jury took less than one hour to find that the competitor's patents were invalid and that Interface did not infringe them. During the hearing on inequitable conduct issues, Interface reached a confidential settlement with the competitor resolving these issues as well as resolving Interface's counterclaims for infringement of two of its own patents. Patent litigation for one of the world's leading providers of lighting fixtures, Served as lead counsel representing one of the world's leading providers of lighting fixtures in a patent infringement suit against a manufacturer of electrical products and others relating to combination exit and emergency lighting fixtures, as well as in a countersuit against our client related to other lighting products. Though mediation was unsuccessful, we were able to successfully negotiate a very favorable settlement. Patent licensing and research transactions for a medical research foundation, Represented a medical research foundation in patent licensing and sponsored research transactions since 1989. The medical technology has spanned virtually the entire field of medicine and has related to technologies at the very earliest stages of development to FDA approved treatments now in widespread use. Oklahoma Med. Research Found. v. Eli Lilly & Co., Represented Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF) in a suit against Eli Lilly in the Western District of Oklahoma. OMRF alleged patent infringement and breach of a license agreement in connection with Eli Lilly's sales of Xigris, the first FDAapproved drug to treat severe sepsis. The suit settled on the eve of trial after more than 60 depositions, production of more than one million pages of documents by Eli Lilly, and a Markman hearing resulting in a claim construction favorable to our client.
Oklahoma Med. Research Found. v. Eli Lilly & Co., No. 01-0456 (W.D. Okla. filed Mar. 15, 2001). Helping others, Served on the board of and provided counsel for twenty years to a non-denominational Christian NGO that provides education, housing, medical services and community development in a rural portion of Honduras, one of the least developed countries in the Western Hemisphere. Patent prosecution and counseling for Lee Valley Tools Ltd., Counseled Lee Valley Tools Ltd. and Veritas Tools, a leading woodworking and gardening tool developer, manufacturer and retailer, for more than twenty years regarding intellectual property matters including patent applications, prosecution advocacy and patent litigation. *Experience gained by attorney prior to joining Kilpatrick Townsend Publications 21 October 2011, Drafting Patent Applications is an ArtSource: Executive Counsel, Articles 20 January 2011, Hanging Up The Empty SuitsSource: Law360, Articles 10 November 2010, Is a §145 Action More a "Trial" in a District Court or Like an "Appeal" in a Circuit Court? The Federal Circuit Answers in Favor of Trial, Legal Alerts 29 July 2010, USPTO Issues Interim Guidance To Examiners Post-Bilski, Legal Alerts 28 June 2010, Supreme Court Rejects Bright-Line Test For Patentable Subject Matter, Legal Alerts 14 June 2010, Federal Circuit Puts a Lid on Solo Cup False Marking Suit, Legal Alerts 27 April 2010, "What's Inequitable?" , En Banc Panel To Answer For Patent Prosecutors, Legal Alerts 01 March 2010, Revisiting Design Patents - Good Protection at a Reasonable CostSource: Patent World, Articles 01 June 2009, Direct product sourcingSource: Patent World, Articles 06 February 2009, Global Economic Environment Brings Extensive IP DevelopmentsSource: New York Law Journal, Articles 26 January 2009, The Jury Has a VerdictSource: Fulton County Daily Report, Articles 01 January 2009, Protection of Product DesignsSource: Intellectual Property Desk Reference, Other Publications 01 November 2008, Beware the TrollsSource: Patent World, Articles 13 October 2008, Intellectual Property Scales the Great WallSource: Fulton County Daily Report, Articles 15 May 2008, Recent Trend Increases Risk of Exposure to Patent "False Marking" Claims, Legal Alerts 01 January 2006, Who Is an Inventor?Source: Intellectual Property Desk Reference, Other Publications 01 January 2006, Protection of Product DesignsSource: Intellectual Property Desk Reference, Other Publications 19 October 2005, Patent Office Appeals Board Reverses "Technological Arts" Rejection Often Cited Against Patent Claims to Business Methods , Legal Alerts 16 October 1998, Design Patent Gets New Life, More MuscleSource: The Business Journal, Articles 20 October 1997, Whose Idea Is It? Company Sues Ex-EmployeeSource: The National Law Journal, Articles News 06 September 2011, Kilpatrick Townsend Earns Record-Breaking Recognition in Annual Best Lawyers in America 2012, News Releases 22 June 2011, Twenty-Seven Kilpatrick Townsend Attorneys Named to 2011 International Who's Who of Business Lawyers, News Releases 20 June 2011, Kilpatrick Townsend Attorneys Selected as World's Leading Law Practitioners by Prestigious Legal Media Group, News Releases 15 June 2011, Kilpatrick Townsend Recognized by Prestigious 2011 Legal 500 US, News Releases 13 June 2011, Kilpatrick Townsend Again Earns Highest Recognition From CHAMBERS USA 2011, News Releases 02 March 2011, Kilpatrick Townsend Once Again Achieves Top Recognition in 2011 Georgia Super Lawyers, News Releases 17 February 2011, Kilpatrick Townsend's John Pratt Selected One of the World's Leading Patent Law Practitioners by Legal Media Group, News Releases 24 September 2010, Twenty-Seven Kilpatrick Stockton Attorneys Named to 2010 International Who's Who of Business Lawyers, News Releases 12 August 2010, Kilpatrick Stockton Earns Record-Breaking Recognition in Annual Best Lawyers in America 2011, News Releases 01 July 2010, Kilpatrick Stockton's Keith Harper Named to Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America 2010 Guide, News Releases 29 June 2010, Kilpatrick Stockton Attorneys Selected as World's Leading Law Practitioners by Prestigious Legal Media Group, News Releases 21 June 2010, Kilpatrick Stockton Earns National Ranking from Chambers USA 2010 in Intellectual Property: Trademark, Copyright & Trade Secrets, News Releases 21 June 2010, Kilpatrick Stockton Again Named Top Firm in Georgia for Intellectual Property by Chambers USA 2010, News Releases 15 June 2010, Kilpatrick Stockton Recognized by Prestigious 2010 Legal 500 US, News Releases 14 June 2010, Kilpatrick Stockton Again Earns Highest Recognition From CHAMBERS USA 2010, News Releases 04 March 2010, Kilpatrick Stockton Ranked Number One in Five 2010 Georgia Super Lawyer Categories, News Releases 04 August 2009, Kilpatrick Stockton Earns Record-Breaking Recognition in Annual Best Lawyers in America 2010, News Releases 15 June 2009, Kilpatrick Stockton Once Again Earns Highest Recognition From Chambers USA, News Releases 08 April 2009, Kilpatrick Stockton Attorneys Named to 2009 International Who's Who of Business Lawyers, News Releases 02 March 2009, Kilpatrick Stockton Ranked Number One in Five Georgia Super Lawyer Categories, News Releases |