Marshall, Gerstein & Borun LLP

Representative Experience

Mr. Sharp has handled matters in a wide variety of biotechnology disciplines, such as: 

• Pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals and gene therapy.
• Recombinant nucleic acid technologies, including plant biotechnology.
• In-vivo and in-vitro diagnostic and gene-sequencing methods.

He has also gained successful outcomes in diverse chemical and chemical engineering technologies, including:

• Organic, inorganic and metallurgical chemistry.
• Chemical and metallurgical processing.
• Food and beverage chemistry.

Background and Credentials

Beyond his extensive prosecution and opinion experience in these technologies and applications, Mr. Sharp has participated in numerous inter partes patent matters including patent infringement litigation before U.S. District Courts, patent interference proceedings before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and patent opposition work before foreign patent offices.

In addition to his a Martindale-Hubbell^® AV Peer Review Rating™, has been selected by the Chicago Law Bulletin’s Leading Lawyer Network as a "Leading Lawyer." 

Mr. Sharp received his J.D. from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1984.  He received his B.S.E. in Chemical Engineering from Princeton University in 1980.

Publications and Speeches

• "Patent Law Sizzles Amid IP Boom," Crain’s Chicago Business, October 3, 2011 (featured quotes). 
• Co-author, “Challenges of Intellectual Property and Branding on Regulatory Approvals” chapter for Nutraceutical and Functional Food Regulations in the United States and Around the World (Academic Press, July 2008). 

Community and Professional Involvement

• Chairman, Board of Trustees of The Latin School of Chicago
• Vice-Chair Board of Directors of the Pilot Legis RPG
• Mentor at the mentorship academy of the Chicago Committee on Minorities in Large Law Firms
• The Economic Club of Chicago
• Co-Class Agent for his Princeton class
• Previously, Chairman of the Committee to Nominate Alumni Trustees for Princeton University
• Previously, President of The Princeton Club of Chicago
   

Representative Matters

Clients have benefited from Mr. Sharp’s representation in the following cases:

Accu-cut Diamond Tool Company, Inc.* v. Sunnen Products Company
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
Case Type(s): Patent Infringement
Area(s) of practice: Mechanical Arts

Eicholz (Amersham)* v. Tyagi
U.S. Patent Office Board of Appeals and Interferences
Case Type(s): Patent Interference
Area(s) of practice: Biotechnology

Elsbach (Monsanto)* v. Scott
U.S. Patent Office Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences
Case Type(s): Patent Interference, Appeal
Area(s) of practice: Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology

Fraley (Monsanto)* v. Zambryski v. Anderson
U.S. Patent Office Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences
Case Type(s): Patent Interference
Area(s) of practice: Biotechnology

Hooykaas v. Shewmaker (Monsanto)*
U.S. Patent Office Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences
Case Type(s): Patent Interference
Area(s) of practice: Biotechnology

Hybritech v. Abbott Laboratories*
U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
Case Type(s): Patent Infringement, Appeal
Area(s) of practice: Biotechnology

Kishore (Monsanto)* v. Burrell
U.S. Patent Office Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences
Case Type(s): Patent Interference
Area(s) of practice: Biotechnology

McNeil-PPC, Inc. v. The Procter & Gamble Company*
U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
Case Type(s): Patent Infringement
Area(s) of practice: Chemistry/Chemical Engineering

Schilperoort v. Rogers (Monsanto)* v. Barton v. Zambryski
U.S. Patent Office Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences
Case Type(s): Patent Interference
Area(s) of practice: Biotechnology

Shell Oil Company v. Union Carbide Company*
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana
Case Type(s): Patent Interference, Patent Infringement
Area(s) of practice: Chemistry/Chemical Engineering

Stalker v. Kishore (Monsanto)*
U.S. Patent Office Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences
Case Type(s): Patent Interference
Area(s) of practice: Biotechnology

*Party Represented

Short Biography