Areas of Expertise: Copyright; Industrial Design; Intellectual Property; IP Infringement; IP License; Patents; Trade Dress; Trademarks.
Formerly a corporate lawyer, I graduated Harvard Law School and later earned a Master's in Industrial Design at Pratt Institute. From toys to complex medical devices, I have over 30 years experience guiding innovation through strategic product development, and have helped hundreds of clients bridge the elusive gap between creative insight and commercial success.
As design consultant to a broad range of markets and industries, I keep my finger on the pulse of critical trends in consumer electronics, medical devices, transportation, IOT, toys, and a host of other product categories. With clients including LG Electronics, Swingline, Kimberly Clark, Olympus, Qualcomm, Novartis, Fisher Price, Blackberry, Dell, Intel, Disney and Hallmark, I bring that foundation of understanding to my work as design expert witness, and it has proven invaluable to developing effective litigation strategies and legal arguments.
Designers think in such a unique way that it's been coined “Design Thinking,” while legal analysis requires a distinctly analytic perspective. As design expert witness I approach disputes involving the protection of design from both vantage points, and my value to your case is enhanced by the ability to address legal challenges from both a designer's and a lawyer's perspective.
The focus of my work includes the design of compelling aesthetic solutions and brands, as well as the development of novel features, functionality, and business models which allow clients to engage user needs and capitalize on profitable market opportunities. I'm named inventor on over 45 US design and utility patents, and serve as Chair of The Industrial Designers Society of America's (IDSA) Design Protection Committee.
My work has been recognized with awards from The Industrial Designers Society of America, The Consumer Electronics Association, The Toy Manufacturer's Association, The Chicago Athenaeum and ID Magazine, has been profiled in the Wall Street Journal, and featured in books aimed at educating design students about the profession.
Please feel free to contact me directly at:
joel@informedinnovationinc.com
Industrial design expert witness and litigation support relating to: Design Patent Infringement | Design Patent Validity | Utility Patent Infringement | Utility Patent Validity | Trade Dress | Article of Manufacture | Functionality | Secondary Meaning | Likelihood of Confusion