Timothy J. Vezeau, the founding partner of the patent practice at the firm, concentrates his practice in intellectual property litigation, licensing and counseling. He is a highly experienced, first chair patent litigator who handles high tech patent disputes for clients. Mr. Vezeau has been selected by his peers as a Leading American Attorney in the field of Intellectual Property law. He has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the firm.
Mr. Vezeau has represented individuals, small corporations and large corporations in patent, trademark and copyright infringement matters, unfair competition and unfair trade issues, trade secret issues and employer-employee disputes involving ownership of rights to intellectual property. The technical subject matter of the litigation has been quite diverse, including software and hardware computer systems, communications and broadcast technologies, nuclear power generation (nuclear fuel assemblies, nuclear fuel manufacturing processes and nuclear reactor electrical penetration devices), human antibody libraries, hand-held price marking labelers and components thereof, advanced telephone switching systems, particle beam accelerators, overvoltage surge arresters, acoustic touch systems, automated television broadcast monitoring equipment, retail store LAN monitoring systems and various electrical circuits for smoke alarms, computer display terminals, electronic ignition systems, personal diaries and high power switching systems.
Mr. Vezeau obtained the first decision of its kind in the United States that invalidated an employment agreement, in part, for violation of the Employee Patent Act of Illinois, a statute similar to those adopted in several other states.
His experience in intellectual property licensing and counseling includes preparation and negotiation of numerous patent license agreements, technology transfer agreements and employee employment agreements, and counseling with respect to e-commerce intellectual property strategies. He has also served as an expert witness/consultant in numerous patent matters.
Mr. Vezeau’s professional career began in 1967 as an engineer at the McDonnell Douglas Corporation. In 1968 he became a patent examiner in the United States Patent and Trademark Office and later became a patent advisor to the United States Navy. In 1971 he joined a small patent law firm in Chicago where he remained for a number of years. Mr. Vezeau then joined a large general practice law firm (Mayer, Brown & Platt) where he concentrated in all facets of intellectual property law. In 1991, he joined Marshall, O’Toole, Gerstein, Murray & Borun and was a managing partner of that firm in 1998–1999, prior to joining Katten.
He is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Trial Bar), and the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Mr. Vezeau is a member of various legal organizations, including the American Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association, the Chicago Bar Association and the Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago. He is listed in
Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business,
The Best Lawyers in America (2010–2012) and
Illinois Super Lawyers (2005–2012).
Mr. Vezeau received his law degree (J.D.) from Georgetown University in 1971. He received an electrical engineering degree (BSEE) from St. Louis University in 1966.
Representative litigation matters are listed below.
Westinghouse Electric Corporation* v. General Electric Company
Western Electric Company, Inc. and American Telephone and Telegraph Co. v. The Riley Company *
Joslyn Mfg. and Supply Co.* v. A.B. Chance Company and Emerson Electric Co.
A.B. Chance Company of Canada Ltd. v. Lacal Industries Limited* and Joslyn Manufacturing of Canada Limited*
General Electric Company v. Westinghouse Electric Corporation *
Westinghouse Electric Corporation* and High Voltage Equipment Corporation v. ITE Imperial Corporation
Joslyn Mfg. and Supply Co.* v. Reliable Electric Company
Harold J. Burke et al.* v. Pittway Corporation
Pittway Corporation v. The BRK Shareholders’ Committee *
Pittway Corporation and Dynamics, Inc. v. The BRK Shareholders Committee,
et al.*
Preway, Inc. v. Edward George Company*, Collins Fireplace & Patio Shop* and Standex International Corporation *
Erling Frisch (Westinghouse Electric Corporation)* v. Department of Energy
American Power Control Corporation, et al., v. Joslyn Mfg. and Supply Co.*
Monarch Marking Systems, Inc.* v. Esselte Meto, Inc.
et al.
Monarch Marking Systems, Inc.* v. PowersLabel Company,
et al.
Champion International Corporation v. Masonite Corporation*
G & W Electric Company v. Bruce M. Sauebier*, Donald J. Akers*, Joslyn Mfg. Co. and Supply Co.*
Motorola, Inc. v. Computer Displays International*
et al.
R.E. Phelon Company, Inc. v. Wabash, Inc.*
Joslyn Corporation* v. RTE Corporation
In the Matter of Certain Plastic Fasteners and Processes For The Manufacture Thereof (Monarch Marking Systems, Inc.*) - United States International Trade Commission - Investigation No. 337-TA-248 -
Dennison Manufacturing Co. v. United States
International Trade Commission-Fed. Cir. Appeal No. 88-1250
Joslyn Manufacturing Co.* v. Amerace Corporation
Lloyd Morgan v. GTECH Corporation*
Technology Solutions Company v. NCH Promotional Services, Inc. (subsidiary of A.C. Nielsen)*
Franklin Electric Company* v. L.H. Carbide Corporation
Monarch Marking Systems, Inc.* v. Melvin C. Dill Company, Inc., Nickmar, Inc., Melvin C. Dill and Michael J. Kucha
Monarch Marking Systems, Inc.* v. Independent Machine Service of Minnesota, Inc., and Darrell Magner
Keptel, Inc. v. Joslyn Electronic Systems Corporation*
Monarch Marking Systems, Inc.* v. Woodside Industries, Inc. and James J. Woodside, Jr.
John G. Lert, Jr. v. A.C. Nielsen Company*
Recoton Corp. v. Telephone Products, Inc.*
Wahlco International, Inc. v. The Chemithon Corporation*
A.C. Nielsen Company* v. David E. Halverson
David L. Fosnaugh (Franklin Electric Co., Inc.)* v. Delno C. Abnet (L.H. Carbide Corp.); Patent Interference
John Malec et al. (Information Resources, Inc.) v. James N. Daniel, Jr., et al., (A.C. Nielsen Company)*; Patent Interference
Able Body Corporation* v. Bentz Metal Products Company, Inc.
AKJ Industries, Inc.* v. 7-7, Inc.
Premier Networks, Inc. v. Tandy Corporation*
Satyan G. Pitroda v. Casio, Inc., Casio Computer Company Ltd., Sharp Corporation, Sharp Electronics Corporation, Inventa Electronics Co., Ltd., Tandy Corporation,* and Olivetti Office USA, Inc.
Polaris Industries, Inc.* v. Harley-Davidson, Inc.; Trademark Opposition
Zenith Electronics Corporation* and Elo Touchsystems, Inc. v. ExZec, Inc., Terence J. Knowles and Carroll Touch, Inc.
Code Alarm, Inc.* v. Direct Electronics, Inc.
FE Petro Inc.* v. The Marley Company
The Marley Company v. FE Petro Inc.* and Charles C. Franklin*
Directed Electronics, Inc. v. Code Alarm, Inc.*
TM Smith Tool International Corporation v. Seibert, Inc.*
DiscoVision Associates v. Disctronics Texas, Inc.* and Disctronics Manufacturing (UK) Limited*
FE Petro Inc.* v. The Marley Company, Inc.
The Marley Company v. FE Petro Inc.*
The Bradbury Company, Inc.* v. ASC Machine Tools, Inc.
Joslyn Electronic Systems Company, LLC* v. Siecor Corporation
MorphoSys AG v. Cambridge Antibody Technology, Ltd.*
Joany Chou v. The University of Chicago, Arch Development Corporation, Bernard Roizman* and Aviron Company
MorphoSys AG v. Cambridge Antibody Technology, Ltd.*
MorphoSys AG v. Cambridge Antibody Technology, Ltd.*
Cambridge Antibody Technology, Ltd.,* Medical Research Council,* The Scripps Research Institute* and Stratagene* v. MorphoSys AG
Kouvato, Inc. v. Jore Corporation, Home Depot, Inc.,* and The Stanley Works*
Calgon Carbon Corporation v. Town of Ontario, New York,* and Robert Wykle*
Eric Hamilton v. ComWeb Technology Group, Inc., PlaceWare, Inc., WebEx Communications, Inc., First Virtual Communications, Inc., SMART Technologies, Inc.,* TeraGlobal Communications Corp. and WebWisdom.com, Inc.
Peer-To-Peer Systems LLC v. Cybiko, Inc.*
Calgon Carbon Corporation v. Trojan Technologies, Inc.*
KSE, Inc. v. Trojan Technologies, Inc.* (Arbitration proceeding)
Cobra Electronics Corporation v. The Whistler Group, Inc.*
Solaia Technology LLC v. Miller Brewing Company,*
et al.
TAH Industries, Inc.* v. Bainbridge Timbercreek, Inc.
Steelcase, Inc., et al., v. Smart Technologies Inc.* and Smart Technologies Corporation*
Technology Licensing Corporation* v. Videotek, Inc.,
et al.
Lyndex Corporation* v. Heartech Precision, Inc.,
et al.
Candle Corporation of America v. Palm Beach Home Accents, Inc.,* Tijid, Inc.,* and Dongguan Fay Candle Co., Ltd.
Cooper Industries, Inc. v. Asea Brown Boveri, Inc.,* and ABB, Inc.,* d/b/a ABB Power T&D Company, Inc.
Commissariat à L’Energie Atomique v. Tottori Sanyo Electronic, Co., Ltd.*
Weather Central, Inc.,* v. WSI Corporation d/b/a Weather Services International
Smart Technologies, Inc.,* v. PolyVision Corporation and Paragram Sales Company, Inc.
Concentra Preferred Systems, Inc., v. Cost Management Technology, Inc.,* and William J. Zaun*
Honeywell International, Inc., et al., v. Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.,* and Sanyo North America,*
et al.
Vector Products, Inc., v. Schumacher Electric Corporation*
Salton, Inc., v. Applica Incorporated; Sanyo North American Corporation,*
et al.
Board of Regents of the University of Texas System v. BenQ America Corporation, Sanyo North America Corp.,*
et al.
Peter V. Boesen,
et al., v. LG Electronics, Inc.; LG Electronics Mobilecomm, U.S.A., Inc., Sanyo North America* and Sanyo Electronic Co., Ltd.*
Barry W. Thomas v. Nokia, Inc.; Sanyo North America Corporation,*
et al.
Biovail Laboratories International SRL* v. Abrika, LLLP,
et al.
Biovail Laboratories, Inc.* v. Anchen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Biovail Laboratories International SRL* v. Watson Laboratories, Inc.
LMK Enterprises, Inc. v. Nu Flow Technologies (2000) Inc.,* Nu Flow America, Inc.* and Video Pipe Services, Inc.
Expert retentions are listed below.
Orion Industries, Inc., v. Hamg Shing Industry Co., Ltd.**
Cobraco Manufacturing Company,**
et al., v. Valley View Specialties Co., Inc.
Monon Corporation** v. Stoughton Trailers, Inc.
John Crane, Inc. v. Durametallic Corporation,**
et al.
Medela, Inc.** and Prism Enterprises,Inc., d/b/a Prism Technologies, v. Flents Products Co.
Craig V. Taylor,
et al., v. Fikes Plastics, Inc.**
Implant Innovations, Inc., v. Nobelpharma AB**
United Systems of Arkansas v. Moore U.S.A., Inc. v. Walz Postal Solutions, Inc.**
James A. Storer,
et al., v. Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc. and Zoom Telephonics, Inc.**
Gordon Belt Scrapers, Inc.,
et al., v. Argonics, Inc.**
Framatome Connectors USA, Inc., v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue**
Fort James Corporation v. Sweetheart Cup Company, Inc.**
Unipat, A.G. v. Sauer Inc.,** Sauer-Sundstrand Company, Inc.,** Hydro-Gear Inc.** and Hydro-Gear Limited Partnership**
Engineered Products Co.** v. Donaldson Company, Inc.
Fort James Corporation v. Solo Cup Company**
John Mezzalingua Associates, Inc., d/b/a PPC,** v. Samuels, Gauthier & Stevens
Finnsugar Bioproducts, Inc.** v. Monitor Sugar Company
Friskit, Inc.,** v. RealNetworks, Inc., and Listen.Com.
* Party represented
** Party retained for