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David P. Sheldon

Member
Chair of Patent Practice Group

David Sheldon serves as head of COJK's patent practice group. His strong background in computer science and technical experience in software engineering help him assist his software industry clients with patent drafting, prosecution, and counseling. David's patent experience includes working with technologies such as machine learning, augmented/virtual reality, control systems, encryption, wireless communication, information search and retrieval, and compiler optimization. David also advises his clients on other vital issues relating to software products, including open source licensing and developing comprehensive strategies for protection of software using copyright, trademarks, design patents, and trade secrets to supplement utility patent protection. David's patent prosecution experience includes a wide variety of other technical fields as well, such as medical and mechanical devices/processes.

David is recognized by Intellectual Asset Management’s guide, IAM Patent 1000 — The World's Leading Patent Professionals and is named to the list of The Best Lawyers in America for his work in patent law. Prior to joining COJK, David worked in various computing-related roles, including designing and coding software testing utilities for Microsoft.

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  • Professional Experience

    • Christensen O'Connor Johnson KindnessPLLC
      Seattle, WA, 2006 – present
    • The Honorable Judge Catherine Shaffer
      Legal Extern, Kent, WA, Summer 2005

     

  • Technical Experience

    • Software Design Engineer/Test - Assistance Platform
      Microsoft Corporation, 2002 – 2004
    • Software Test Engineer - Exchange QFE
       Microsoft Corporation, 1999 – 2002
    • Programmer/Webmaster
      E-insure Services, Inc., 1997 – 1999
    • PC Specialist
      Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 1995 – 1996

  • Professional Affiliations

    • American Bar Association
    • King County Bar Association
    • Licensing Executives Society
    • Washington State Patent Law Association

  • Presentations & Publications

    Presentations

    • “Timely Topics in IP Law: NFTs,” Washington State Bar Association; panelist (Seattle, WA, September 2021).
    • "NFTs: Why? NO REALLY, Why?" Presentation to the Association of Corporate Counsel of Washington; panelist (Seattle, WA, May 2021).
    • "Legal Issues and Intellectual Property," WE-REACH Biomedical Innovation Bootcamp; panelist (Seattle, WA, February 2020).
    • “Patentability and Freedom-to-Operate Opinions,” National Association of Patent Practitioners, Annual Meeting & Conference (Seattle, WA, July 2019).
    • “What to Expect During Patent Prosecution,” University of Washington, Global Innovation Exchange (Seattle, WA, August 2018).
    • “AI and the Impact on the Delivery of Legal Services,” Center for Advanced Study and Research on Innovation Policy, 2018 CASRIP Summer Institute; moderator 
      (Seattle, WA, July 2018).
    • “Overview of U.S. Intellectual Property Law,” Center for Advanced Study and Research on Innovation Policy, 2018 CASRIP Summer Institute (Seattle, WA, July 2018).
    • “Recent Developments in Software Patent Law: Do recent court decisions signal a software patent resurgence?” Christensen O’Connor Johnson Kindness (Seattle, WA, June 2018).
    • “Software and computer-implemented inventions: Patenting strategies and possibilities,” Federation of Icelandic Patent Professionals and the Association on Industrial Intellectual Property Rights (Reykjavik, Iceland, September 2017).
    • "Intellectual Property: From Fundamentals to Enforcement," Seattle University School of Law, Summer Practice Academy (Seattle, WA, July 2017).
    • “Appeals in the U.S. Patent Office,” Center for Advanced Study and Research on Innovation Policy, Patent and IP Law Summer Institute (Seattle, WA, July 2015, 2016, and 2017).
    • “What You Need to Know about the Patentability of Software,” Christensen O'Connor Johnson Kindness (Seattle, WA, November 2016).
    • “Techniques for IP Valuation and How Recent Changes in U.S. Law Affect Valuations,” Licensing Executives Society, Vancouver Chapter (Vancouver, B.C.,
      May 2016).
    • “IP Value – Techniques, Recent Court Decisions, and the Impact of Proposed USPTO Changes,” Licensing Executives Society, Seattle Chapter (Seattle, WA, January 2016).
    • “How Recent Case Law and Post-Grant Challenges Affect Patent Valuation,” Licensing Executive Society, Vancouver Chapter (Vancouver, B.C., June 2015).
    • “Protecting Your Intellectual Property – Patents: Theory into Practice,” Christensen O'Connor Johnson Kindness (Seattle, WA, November 2014).
    • “Do You Know Who's Looking at Your Confidential Information?” Christensen O'Connor Johnson Kindness (Seattle, WA, July 2013).
    • “Protecting Your Intellectual Property – Patent Law Fundamentals,” Northwest Entrepreneur Network (Seattle, WA, March 2010 and 2011, July 2012 and 2013).
    • “The Bilski Decision: Analysis and Discussion,” Licensing Executives Society (Vancouver, B.C., July 2010).

     

    Publications

    • “The ABCs of NFTs,” Washington State Bar Association Bar News, Vol. 75, No. 5, pp. 32 – 36, June 2021, Sheldon, D.P., Vandsburger, L.
    • Quote, “Lawyers Weigh In On High Court's Software Patent Ruling,” Law360, June 19, 2014.
    • Comment, “Claiming Ownership, but Getting Owned: Contractual Limitations on Asserting Property Interests in Virtual Goods,” UCLA Law Review, Vol. 54, Issue 3, p. 751, 2007.

Service

Industries

Education

    • J.D., Order of the Coif, UCLA School of Law, 2007
    • B.S., cum laude, Computer Science, Northwestern University, 1999

Bar & Court Admissions

    • United States Patent and Trademark Office
    • Washington State Bar
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