Accolades and Honors
TRASKBRITT ATTORNEYS NAMED TO 2011 BEST LAWYERS
TraskBritt is proud to announce that 7 of its attorneys will be recognized in the 2011 edition of Best Lawyers®, the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession.
First published in 1983, Best Lawyers is based on an exhaustive annual peer-review survey. For the upcoming U.S. edition, more than 50% of the lawyers already listed in Best Lawyers cast more than 3.1 million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in the same and related specialties.
Because lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed, inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor. Those listed in both 2010 and 2011 include Laurence B. Bond, William S. Britt, H. Dickson Burton, Edgar R. Cataxinos, David V. Trask, Allen C. Turner, and Joseph A. Walkowski.
In 2010, TraskBritt attorneys had the highest number of Best Lawyers in the Intellectual Property category among all Utah-based law firms.
Founded in 1973, TraskBritt, P.C. provides a full range of intellectual property legal services to national and multinational corporations, research organizations, and universities throughout the world.
H. DICKSON BURTON NAMED FELLOW OF LITIGATION COUNSEL OF AMERICA
Salt Lake City attorney H. Dickson Burton, of the law firm TraskBritt, P.C., has been selected as a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America. The LCA is a trial lawyer honorary society composed of less than one-half of one percent of American lawyers. Fellowship in the LCA is highly selective and by invitation only. Fellows are selected based upon excellence and accomplishment in litigation, both at the trial and appellate levels, and superior ethical reputation. The number of Fellowships has been kept at an exclusive limit by design with recognition of excellence in litigation across all segments of the bar. In addition, the LCA is dedicated to promoting superior advocacy, professionalism and ethical standards among its Fellows.
Mr. Burton is the senior litigator in the nationally-recognized and Salt Lake City-based Intellectual Property law firm of TraskBritt, of which he is also a Director and member of the firm's Management Committee. Mr. Burton regularly advises and represents clients in federal and state courts throughout the United States in the enforcement of their Intellectual Property rights. In addition to his recognition by the LCA, he has previously been named by his peers to the listings of the Best Lawyers in America in the areas of Intellectual Property, Commercial Litigation and Information Technology Law, SuperLawyers, and Utah's Legal Elite. Mr. Burton currently serves on the Utah Bar Commission and has been an adjunct professor at the University of Utah Law School.
TRASKBRITT ATTORNEYS NAMED TO MOUNTAIN STATES SUPER LAWYERS
TraskBritt, P.C., is pleased to announce that William Britt, H. Dickson Burton, Edgar Cataxinos, and Joseph Walkowski have been selected as 2011 Mountain States Super Lawyers. Tracey Harrach was recognized as a Rising Star. Mr. Burton and Mr. Cataxinos were also recognized among the 2011 Mountain States Top 75, which includes the lawyers who received the highest point totals in the annual Super Lawyers nomination, research and blue ribbon review process. Super Lawyers recognizes the top 5% of lawyers in each state.
EIGHT TRASKBRITT ATTORNEYS NAMED TO UTAH'S LEGAL ELITE
TraskBritt is pleased to announce that 8 of its attorneys have been named to the 2011 edition of Utah's Legal Elite. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed. Those listed include William S. Britt, H. Dickson Burton, Edgar R. Cataxinos, J. Jeffrey Gunn, Tracey Harrach, David V. Trask, Joseph A. Walkowski and Allen C. Turner.
SEVEN TRASKBRITT ATTORNEYS NAMED TO MOUNTAIN STATES SUPER LAWYERS
TraskBritt is pleased to announce that 7 of its attorneys have been selected to the 2010 Mountain States Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists: William S. Britt, H. Dickson Burton, Edgar R. Cataxinos, Joseph A. Walkowski, J. Jeffrey Gunn, Tracey Harrach and Daniel J. Morath.
NINE TRASKBRITT ATTORNEYS NAMED TO UTAH'S LEGAL ELITE
TraskBritt is pleased to announce that 9 of its attorneys have been named to the 2010 edition of Utah's Legal Elite. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed. Those listed include William S. Britt, H. Dickson Burton, Edgar R. Cataxinos, J. Jeffrey Gunn, Brandon H. Pace, Krista W. Powell, David V. Trask, Allen C. Turner and Joseph A. Walkowski.
SEVEN TRASKBRITT ATTORNEYS INCLUDED AMONG “BEST LAWYERS IN AMERICA” PEER-REVIEWED SURVEY
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – Seven TraskBritt attorneys were selected by their peers for inclusion in the 2010 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
Laurance B. Bond, Intellectual Property Law
William S. Britt, Intellectual Property Law
H. Dickson Burton, Commercial Litigation, Information Technology Law, Intellectual Property Law
Edgar R. Cataxinos, Intellectual Property Law
David V. Trask, Intellectual Property Law
Allen C. Turner, Intellectual Property Law
Joseph A. Walkowski, Intellectual Property Law
TraskBritt’s founding attorneys, David V. TraskBritt and William S. Britt, have been awarded the Best Lawyers designation for over ten consecutive years.
Best Lawyers (www.bestlawyers.com) is regarded as one of the preeminent referral guides to the legal profession in the United States and is published by Woodward White Corp. The selections are based on an extensive peer-review survey of some 16,000 attorneys, resulting in more than 400,000 detailed evaluations of individual lawyers around the country.
Founded in 1973, TRASKBRITT, P.C., represents national and multinational corporations, research organizations, universities, and individuals throughout the world, with a substantial client base in the European Union and Asia. The firm's practice emphasizes intellectual property matters, including patents, trademarks, designs, trade regulation, unfair competition, trade secrets, and related litigation.
TWO TRASKBRITT ATTORNEYS INCLUDED IN 2009 EDITION OF CHAMBERS, USA
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – TraskBritt, P.C. and two of its attorneys have been ranked in the 2009 edition of Chambers, USA, a guide to the nation's top legal professionals. Chambers & Partners research team based out of the UK, spent a year surveying clients and lawyers across the country to obtain a consistent market view of which firms and lawyers are considered leaders in their field. More than 10,000 interviews were conducted nationwide. Rankings in the directory are assessed on specific criteria, including technical legal ability, professional conduct, client service, commercial awareness, commitment and dedication.
SALT LAKE CITY LAW FIRM A LEADER IN PATENT QUALITY, THREE YEARS IN A ROW
TRASKBRITT, P.C., is ranked number one in the nation for electrical patent quality and is ranked number three for chemical patent quality. These rankings also support a select list of firms that are mentioned two or more times in six technology categories. TRASKBRITT is one of only four firms nationally to make this “Most Mentions” list in the three years the study has been published.
An independent study published in the March, 2005 edition of IP LAW & BUSINESS uses a computer model to measure a patent’s "Intellectual Property Quotient (IPQ)." The IPQ ratings reflect the quality, rather than the number, of the patents produced by various law firms throughout the country and considers “50 different factors for each patent.” PatentRatings LLC, the company that conducted the study, maintains that “Patent owners are more likely to pay maintenance fees to the patent office for a patent that is valuable.”
The average IPQ score is 100 and TRASKBRITT holds the highest quality score in the survey with its electrical IPQ score of 165.6.
TRASKBRITT President Joseph Walkowski stated, "We are extremely gratified by TraskBritt’s continued recognition as a national leader in patent quality," and as the only Utah firm ever to be ranked in the study in any technology category. As Walkowski noted, “We attribute this honor in large part to the personal relationships and open communication we enjoy with our clients."
SALT LAKE CITY LAW FIRM A LEADER IN PATENT QUALITY
Salt Lake City, March 04, 2004. TRASKBRITT, P.C., is ranked among the top five law firms in the nation for electrical patent quality and is ranked number six for chemical patent quality. These rankings also support a select list of firms that are mentioned two or more times in six technology categories. TRASKBRITT is one of only five firms nationally to make this “Most Mentions” list in the two years the study has been published.
An independent study published in the March, 2004 edition of "IP LAW & BUSINESS uses a computer model to measure a patent’s "Intellectual Property Quotient (IPQ)." The IPQ ratings reflect the quality, rather than the number, of the patents produced by various law firms throughout the country and considers “50 different factors for each patent.” PatentRatings LLC founder Jonathan Barney, whose company conducted the study, states “Your numbers may be up there, but the value you are creating for clients may not be that high. We are looking at who is creating the most value for the clients.”
TRASKBRITT Managing Director Edgar Cataxinos stated, "The firm is very pleased by our ongoing inclusion in a nationally recognized listing of leaders in our practice area," as the firm continues to be ranked higher for patent quality than most far larger firms throughout the country and is the only Utah firm to be ranked in any technology category. As Cataxinos noted, “We continue to be gratified by this tangible result of the close working relationship with our clients and the trust they place in us for intellectual property representation."
Founded in 1973, TRASKBRITT, P.C., represents national and multinational corporations, research organizations, universities, and individuals throughout the world, with a substantial client base in the European Union and Asia. The firm's practice emphasizes intellectual property matters, including patents, trademarks, designs, trade regulation, unfair competition, trade secrets, and related litigation.
TRASKBRITT OBTAINS RARE TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER IN PATENT INFRINGEMENT MATTER
On May 6, 2003, senior litigation partner H. Dickson Burton successfully obtained a rare Temporary Restraining Order for the firm's client Sabinsa Corporation from District Judge Joel Pisano of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. In Sabinsa Corporation v. Alchem International, Ltd., TraskBritt client Sabinsa Corporation, of Piscataway, New Jersey is asserting claims of patent infringement against Alchem Intenational, Ltd., of New Delhi, India, arising out of Alchem's importation and sale of extracts of coleus forskohlii and piperine, the use of which is covered by patents owned by Sabinsa. Alchem appeared at the Supply Side East trade show held at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey May 5-7, 2003. After a hearing held on May 6, 2003, Judge Pisano entered the TRO enjoining Alchem from selling, offering for sale or importing the extracts in the United States, including at the Supply Side East trade show, until June 17, 2003 when the court will hear arguments on the entry of a Preliminary Injunction.
SALT LAKE CITY LAW FIRM A NATIONAL LEADER
Salt Lake City, March 31, 2003. TRASKBRITT, P.C., is ranked as the best firm in the nation for electrical patent quality and ranks among the top five firms for chemical patent quality. TRASKBRITT was one of only nine firms in the nation to earn two or more top ten mentions, based on patent quality ratings in six technology categories.
An independent study published in the March, 2003 edition of IP LAW & BUSINESS used a computer model to measure "the strength of patents" because "not all patents are created equal." The resulting ratings strictly reflect the quality of the patents produced by various firms throughout the country and do not consider the number of patents produced by a firm, nor the number of attorneys in the firm. PatentRatings LLC conducted the study. Firm President Joseph Walkowski declared, "the firm is extremely gratified for the recognition and honored by the favorable comparison to firms already acknowledged as leaders in our practice area," as TRASKBRITT ranked higher than many larger firms throughout the country. Walkowski stated, "the firm attributes its success to the attorneys and staff working together closely with our clients as a team."
Founded in 1973, TRASKBRITT, P.C., services national and multinational corporations, research organizations, universities, and individuals throughout the world, with a substantial client base in the European Union and Asia. The firm's practice emphasizes intellectual property matters, including patents, trademarks, designs, trade regulation, unfair competition, trade secrets, and related litigation. click here to download the article.
PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION GRANTED IN TRADE SECRETS CASE
On November 25, 2002, after a two-day evidentiary hearing handled by litigation partners H. Dickson Burton and Edgar R. Cataxinos, Judge Anthony Quinn of the Third Judicial District Court for the State of Utah entered a Preliminary Injunction on behalf of TraskBritt client Hydrapak Seals, Inc. and against competitor Target Seals, Inc. and its owner and former Hydrapak employee. The Court's decision in Hydrapak Seals, Inc. v. Target Seals, Inc., recognized the importance of Hydrapak's trade secret information and upheld the enforceability of a covenant not to compete which its former employee had signed while employed by Hydrapak, and enjoined Target Seals from specified competitive business activities, including the use or disclosure of Hydrapak's trade secrets.
VICTORY IN THE FEDERAL CIRCUIT
On September 4, 2002, in an appeal decision argued by managing shareholder of TraskBritt, Edgar R. Cataxinos, the Court of Appeals for The Federal Circuit, in PIN/NIP, Inc. v. PLATTE CHEMICAL Co. reversed a decision by the trial court and held invalid a patent claim directed to a method for inhibiting sprout formation in potatoes during storage. The claim in question, added after the patent application was filed, was found to lack support in the written description. The trial court interpretation of a key patent term was rejected and the term was redefined by the Federal Circuit.
The patent application leading to the patent in suit disclosed and claimed a method of applying a "composition" of two substances, each of which was known to inhibit sprout formation. Prior to the filing of the Platte patent application, PIN/NIP had publicly disclosed a method for sprout suppression using two substances, CIPC and DMN, applied separately in spaced, sequential applications. After becoming aware of the PIN/NIP method, Platte added the claim in question to its pending patent application in an attempt to protect a method of "applying" two substances sequentially. After issuance of the patent and an allegation of infringement by Platte, PIN/NIP brought a declaratory judgment to invalidate the patent. The trial court found for Platte, likening a chemical composition to an artistic "still life" composition.
The Federal Circuit reversed the trial court, invalidating the claim in question for lack of support in the original written description. In so doing, the Federal Circuit interpreted the term "composition" in the chemical context as a mixture, not an artistic composition. Link to Decision