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Melissa A. Nowak

Melissa A. Nowak

Member
Chair of Trademark Practice Group

Melissa Nowak is an intellectual property attorney who advises clients on U.S. and international trademark matters, including name development, searching, clearance, filing, registration, maintenance, licensing, and due diligence. She also manages appeals, cancellations, and oppositions before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board and counsels clients on copyright protection and infringement.

Melissa represents trademark clients across industries, including pharmaceuticals, media and entertainment, software, aerospace, construction, cosmetics, food and beverage, dietary supplements, transportation, higher education, and nonprofit organizations.

Her life sciences background enables her to guide pharmaceutical companies through the complexities of brand approval in this highly regulated industry. She also advises clients in the medical device, wine and spirits, and cannabis sectors and works with Tribal organizations to protect and enforce brands that support Tribal economic growth and development.

Melissa helps life sciences and biotechnology companies, universities, and nonprofit research organizations secure patent protection through practical, cost-effective strategies. Her technical expertise includes molecular biology, immunology, genetics, and neuroscience.

Melissa chairs the firm’s trademark practice group. She is a member of the International Trademark Association (INTA) and serves on the Publications Committee. Her professional recognition includes Chambers USA, WTR 1000 – The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals, IAM Patent 1000 – The World’s Leading Patent Professionals, IAM Global Leaders: Interviews with the Pinnacle of the Patent Law Profession, IP Stars, and the Washington list of The Best Lawyers in America. Outside of the office, she volunteers as an instructor for The Mountaineers’ Seattle Basic Alpine Climbing Course and Winter Mountaineering and Crevasse Rescue. Melissa is proficient in French.

  • J.D., University of New Mexico School of Law, 2005
  • M.S., Biology, University of New Mexico, 2002
  • B.S., Biology, University of Georgia, 1996

  • Washington State Bar
  • United States Patent and Trademark Office

  • Christensen O'Connor Johnson KindnessPLLC
    Seattle, WA, 2006 - present

  • Graduate Teaching and Research Assistant
    Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, 2000 - 2002
  • Research Assistant
    Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, 1997 - 2000
  • Laboratory Technician
    Rock-Tenn Corporation, 1996 - 1997

  • International Trademark Association (INTA)
    Member, Publications Committee
  • International Cannabis Bar Association
  • Pharmaceutical Trade Marks Group
  • Washington State Bar Association
    Member, Intellectual Property Section

Publications

  • “TCR Gamma Chain Diversity in the Spleen of the Duckbill Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus),” Developmental & Comparative Immunology, Vol. 30, Issue 8, 2006, pp. 699 - 710, Parra, Z.E., Arnold, T., Nowak, M.A., Hellman, L., and Miller, R.D.
  • “The Complexity of Expressed Kappa Light Chains in Egg-Laying Mammals,” Immunogenetics, Vol. 56, Issue 8, 2004, pp. 555 - 563, Nowak, M.A., Parra, Z.E., Hellman, L., and Miller, R.D.
  • “Increased Expression and Localization of the RNA-Binding Protein HuD and GAP-43 mRNA to Cytoplasmic Granules in DRG Neurons During Nerve Regeneration,” Experimental Neurology, Vol. 183, Issue 1, 2003, pp. 100 - 108, Anderson, K.D, Merhege, M.A., Morin, M., Bolognani, F., and Perrone-Bizzozero, N.I.
  • “Overexpression of HuD, but Not of Its Truncated Form HuD I+II, Promotes GAP-43 Gene Expression and Neurite Outgrowth in PC12 Cells in the Absence of Nerve Growth Factor. J,” Neurochemistry, Vol. 75, Issue 3, 2000, pp. 1103 - 1114, Anderson, K.D, Morin, M.A., Beckel-Mitchener, A., Mobarak, C.D., Neve, R.L., Furneaux, H.M., Burry, R., and Perrone-Bizzozero, N.I.
  • “The RNA-Binding Protein HuD Is Required for GAP-43 mRNA Stability, GAP-43 Gene Expression, and PKC-dependent Neurite Outgrowth in PC12 Cells,” Molecular Biology of the Cell, Vol. 11, Issue 9, 2000, pp. 3191 - 3203, Mobarak, C.D., Anderson, K.D., Morin, M., Beckel-Mitchener, A., Rogers, S.L., Furneaux, H., King, P., and Perrone-Bizzozero, N.I.
  • “Overexpression of HuD Accelerates Neurite Outgrowth and Increases GAP-43 mRNA Expression in Cortical Neurons and Retinoic Acid-Induced Embryonic Stem Cells in Vitro,” Experimental Neurology, Vol. 168, Issue 2, 2001, pp. 250 - 258, Anderson, K.D., Sengupta, J., Morin, M., Neve, R.L., Valenzuela, C.F., and Perrone-Bizzozero, N.I.
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