Biography
Daniel T. Chavka focuses his practice on patent law matters including patent procurement and portfolio management. He enjoys working on the cutting edge of technology and is passionate about finding creative ways to protect the inventions of his clients. Mr. Chavka works closely with in-house counsel and managers, invention review committees, and inventors to evaluate new innovations, develop protection strategies, and implement those strategies throughout the world. He is also experienced in providing due diligence research and analysis for patent portfolio acquisitions, conducting patent landscape investigations, and opinion work such as patentability, validity, non-infringement, and freedom-to-operate opinions.
Prior to becoming a patent attorney, Mr. Chavka worked as a patent examiner in the medical device arts at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Mr. Chavka leverages the insights he gained as an examiner to hone the prosecution strategies of his clients, for both quality and efficiency. His examiner experience provides a somewhat unique perspective for a patent attorney – one that can be particularly useful in assisting clients with navigating foreign-derived patent applications through U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Mr. Chavka has been selected by his peers for two consecutive years (2017-2018) for inclusion in the Illinois Rising Stars® list, which features outstanding young attorneys in the state.
Representative Experience
Mr. Chavka has represented clients in diverse areas of technology, including:
- Automotive braking and suspension systems
- Bearings
- Bottling machines
- Data encryption and storage
- Digital image processing and formation
- Electric motors
- Electrochromatic glass
- Electron gun sterilization devices
- Engine control systems
- Heat exchangers
- Insurance related applications
- Medical devices
- Packaging machines and processes
- Printer components and ink
- Process control equipment
- Satellite communication and imaging systems
- Seal arrangements
- Semiconductor fabrication
- Snow removal and salting equipment
- Touch screens
- Turbine components
Background and Credentials
Prior to joining Marshall, Gerstein & Borun LLP, Mr. Chavka was a patent attorney in the Washington, D.C. area office of a national law firm. He also worked as a patent examiner at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office where he examined medical device applications directed to stents, prosthetic heart valves, and surgical instruments. His industry experience includes working as a mechanical engineer at Caterpillar, Inc. where he designed and performed field tests on proprietary, pre-production track-type tractors and other heavy equipment.
Mr. Chavka received his J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law, where he was an editor of the Chicago-Kent Intellectual Property Law Journal. He holds a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering, with honors, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Mr. Chavka also completed an English minor at Illinois and remains a fervent reader.
Education
- Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology (J.D.)
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (B.S.)
- Mechanical Engineering
Bar Admissions
Publications and Presentations
- "Chicago Women in IP (ChiWIP) Roundtable Series: 3D Printing," CLE Presentation, Co-Presenter & Panelist, May 2, 2018.
- "Making 3D Printing Eco-Friendly: A Potential Opportunity for Patent Protection,” Illinois Manufacturers’ Association Journal, Co-Author, Fall 2017 Edition.
- “Illinois Manufacturers’ Association Breakfast Briefings 2016,” Co-Presenter, February 17, 2016.
- “Federal Circuit Changes Standard For Evaluating Means-Plus-Function Claims,” Co-Author, Marshall Gerstein Alert, June 18, 2015.
- “Fallout from Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank: A Patent Prosecutor's Perspective,” CLE Presentation, August 2014.
- “Recent Patent Office Examination Guidelines Addressing Means-Plus-Function Claim Limitations,” CLE Presentation, November 2011.