Mr. Carlson combines a background in electrical engineering and computer application design with more than 25 years of trial and appellate litigation experience in the Western District of Washington and federal courts nationwide. His practice includes client counseling in intellectual property licensing, strategies for asserting and defending intellectual property claims, formal legal opinion regarding patent infringement and validity matters, and active representation in litigation and arbitration. Additionally, he assists clients in a broad range of industries with due diligence investigations and intellectual property acquisition and portfolio management. Mr. Carlson is a frequent lecturer in Continuing Education programs and industry seminars.
Education
- J.D., University of Colorado School of Law, 1982
- B.S. Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Colorado, 1977
Professional Experience
- Christensen O’Connor Johnson Kindness PLLC, Seattle, WA
Intellectual Property and Commercial Litigation and Counseling
Member, 1995 to present
Associate, 1991 to 1995 - Madden & Strate, P.C., Denver, CO
Product Liability Litigation
Attorney, 1982 to 1991 - Special Projects Engineer, Computer Sharing Services, Denver, CO
1977 to 1979
Bar & Court Admissions
- United States Patent and Trademark Office
- United States Supreme Court
- United States Court of Appeals: Fourth, Ninth, Tenth, and Federal Circuit
- United States District Courts: Eastern and Western Districts of Washington, Northern District of California, District of Colorado, Northern District of Illinois
- Washington State Bar
- Colorado State Bar (inactive status)
Professional Affiliations
- Federal Circuit Bar Association
Amicus Committee: Member, 1994-2001, Chair, 2002-2003 - American Bar Association: Litigation Section; Section of Patent, Trademark and Copyright Law
- American Intellectual Property Law Association
- Washington State Bar Association: Litigation Section; Intellectual Property Section
- Washington State Patent Lawyers Association
Community Involvement
Washington Talking Book and Braille Library, Seattle, WA
For several years, Mr. Carlson has been an on-air volunteer reader with the WTBBL Evergreen Radio Reading Service. The ERRS broadcasts live readings of local and regional newspapers and other periodicals to vision-impaired and physically disabled listeners in Washington, Idaho, Oregon and British Columbia, over a sideband signal transmitted by NPR affiliate KUOW. Mr. Carlson reads the Seattle Times on live broadcast each Monday morning from 7:00-9:00 a.m.; that program is recorded and repeated Monday evening from 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Representative Experience
Litigation
- Real Networks v. Streambox, Inc. [Digital Millennium Copyright Act - media streaming technology]
- Nintendo of America, Inc. v. Aeropower, Inc. [copyright infringement - video games]
- Busek, Inc. v. Aerojet-General Corp. [patent license - satellite station-keeping thruster]
- Kouvato, Inc. v. Jore Corporation [patent - drill bit design]
- Eldec Corporation, Inc. v. TekSci, Inc. [trade secret - aircraft safety compliance certification]
- SCS Interactive, Inc. v. Whitewater West Industries, Inc. [patent license - interactive water play system]
- Simpson Strong-Tie, Inc. v. InQuest Engineering [patent - building stability during seismic event]
- Weyerhaeuser Corporation v. Valley Electric Company, Inc. [trademark - tree and triangle logo]
- Bank of America v. Rainier Trust [trademark - banking and financial services]
Counseling
Panasonic Mobile Communications Co., Ltd.
Client counseling in intellectual property licensing (including FRAND licensing of patents essential to telecommunications standards) and strategic intellectual property portfolio management for mobile telecommunications manufacturer.
Whitewater West Industries, Ltd.
Client counseling, patent procurement and portfolio management for leading manufacturer of water park rides and play equipment sold and installed worldwide.
Amazon.com
Patent clearance, infringement/non-infringement and validity opinions for leading electronic commerce company.