National intellectual property super boutique Novak Druce + Quigg LLP has announced the addition of partner Michael W. O’Neill to its Washington D.C. office. Mr. O’Neill is joining Novak Druce from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) where he most recently served as an Administrative Patent Judge for the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences.

“We are very pleased to welcome Mike to Novak Druce,” said Novak Druce CEO and Managing Partner Gregory V. Novak. “His extensive USPTO experience as a Patent Judge and in the Central Reexamination Unit will be a great advantage to our firm and our Post-Grant/Reexamination Practice Group.”

Before becoming an Administrative Patent Judge, Mr. O’Neill also served as a Reexamination Primary Patent Examiner for the Central Reexamination Unit (CRU) and a Primary Patent Examiner, Electrical Engineer.  As a Patent Judge, Mr. O’Neill authored over 300 reported opinions and developed a strong background in ex parte appeals involving mechanical, electrical and business method technologies. As a Reexamination Examiner, Mr. O’Neill performed the patent examining functions for both ex parte and inter partes reexamination proceedings in various complex and simple technologies and developed the examination procedures utilized by CRU at that time. As a Primary Patent Examiner, Mr. O’Neill’s legal and technological expertise involved the rapidly expanding and highly litigious area of casino gaming and video game technologies. At the USPTO, Mr. O’Neill received recognition for exceptional performance and productivity, including the Bronze Medal Award.

Mr. O’Neill received his J.D. from the Catholic University of America and his B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Maryland.