Investing in the Future – Oblon Welcomes New Professionals

For decades, our clients have relied on Oblon for intellectual property counsel and guidance. We would not have such a legacy if we did not continually invest in the future of our firm and our clients by developing the next generation of professionals. This tradition of cultivating talent is rooted in our history. Many of the firm’s current partners began their intellectual property careers at Oblon decades ago when the firm’s founders invested in them with an eye toward the future.

This tradition of training the next generation of IP law leaders continues to this day. Over the past year, we have welcomed a number of outstanding new professionals. We plan to welcome still more next year. These professionals have expertise and experience in a diverse range of technical disciplines reflecting the broad range of technologies practiced by our clients.         

At the end of 2021, we welcomed Dr. Jenna Logsdon and Ms. Cristina Lai:

• Jenna Logsdon. Jenna has a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Northwestern University and a B.S. in Chemistry and Biology from the University of Tampa. Jenna is a patent agent in the firm’s Chemical Practice Group, where she focuses on patent application drafting and prosecution in technologies, including organic chemistry, materials science, nanomaterials, and ultrafast spectroscopy. Prior to joining Oblon, Jenna spent several years in the technology transfer offices at Northwestern University, the National Cancer Institute, and the University of South Florida.
• Cristina Lai.  Cristina has a B.S. in both Electrical/Computer Engineering and Biomedical Engineering from Duke University. Cristina is a patent agent in the firm’s Electrical and Mechanical Practice Group, where she focuses on patent application drafting and prosecution in various technologies. Her experience includes image processing and display, medical devices, artificial intelligence, networking, wireless communications, blockchain, and radar systems. Prior to joining Oblon, Cristina worked as a patent agent at an intellectual property firm in North Carolina, and before that she gained industry experience in pharmaceuticals manufacturing, medical devices, microfluidics, and hardware design.

In 2022, we have welcomed professionals, including Dr. Xiaohua (Joyce) Guo, Mr. Evan Smith, Dr. Sara Pistilli, and Dr. Yechao (Mike) Dai.

• Xiaohua (Joyce) Guo. Joyce has a Ph.D. and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, and received her J.D. from The George Washington University. Joyce is an associate in the firm’s Electrical and Mechanical Practice Group, where she focuses on patent application drafting and prosecution in various technologies. Her experience includes electric vehicles, electric motors, telecommunications, semiconductors, integrated circuits, electronic circuits, power transmission/distribution systems, medical devices, consumer electronics, online advertising, search engines, cybersecurity, databases, artificial intelligence, and computer-assisted surgery. Prior to joining Oblon, Joyce practiced Chinese patent law for eight years at a law firm based in Beijing, China.
• Evan Smith. Evan has a B.S. in Materials Science Engineering from Johns Hopkins University. He is expecting his J.D. from the University of Maryland in the spring of 2023. Evan is currently working as a law clerk for Oblon and will be joining the firm as an associate in the firm’s Electrical and Mechanical Practice Group in 2023. 
• Sara Pistilli. Sara has a B.S. in Biology from Texas Tech University and a PharmD. in Pharmacy from the University of Texas, Austin, College of Pharmacy. She is expecting her J.D. from the University of Minnesota in the spring of 2023. Sara is currently working as a law clerk for Oblon and will be joining the firm as an associate in the firm’s Chemical Practice Group in 2023. 
• Yechao (Mike) Dai: Mike has both a B.S. and a M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois, Chicago. Prior to joining Oblon, Mike worked as a technical research engineer at an intellectual property research firm. He is a technical advisor in the firm’s Electrical and Mechanical Practice Group, where he focuses on patent application drafting in various technologies. His experience includes work in semiconductors, wireless communication, Internet of Things, computer memory, and quantum computing.

Also in 2022, the firm welcomed former Administrative Patent Judge and USPTO Solicitor Dr. Mark Nagumo.

• Mark Nagumo. Mark has a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the University of California, Los Angeles, a B.S. in Chemistry from Princeton University, and a J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. Mark joined the firm’s Chemical Practice Group. Prior to joining Oblon, Mark spent 29 years at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), including 17 years as an Administrative Patent Judge (APJ) at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) (formerly the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences (BPAI)), three years as an Associate Solicitor, and seven years as an Examiner (three years as a Primary Examiner). As an Administrative Patent Judge and as an Associate Solicitor, he handled appeals relating to a range of chemical technologies as well as cases in mechanical and electrical arts. As an Examiner, Mark examined technologies, including high polymers, metallocene and metathesis polymerization catalysts, and polymers having unusual properties and applications, including nonlinear optical properties, and liquid crystal polymers. Prior to joining the USPTO, Mark was a research chemist at the Naval Research Laboratory (Washington, D.C.) for about seven years, starting in the Optical Sciences Division and ending in the Bio/Molecular Engineering Branch of the Chemical Division.