Peter Zura is a partner in the Illinois offices of Loza & Loza. Peter’s practice includes preparing, prosecuting, and securing patent portfolio development and enforcement, preparing, prosecuting and securing patent protection for his clients’ innovations as well as providing intellectual property counseling. This includes advice on patent infringement, validity, and large portfolio due diligence studies for acquisitions, licensing, and pre-suit purposes. Peter also works with clients to monetize their intellectual property portfolios in scenarios including financing rounds, company sales, and sale of patents after a change in technical focus.

Prior to joining Loza & Loza, Peter was a partner for various Am Law 100 and 200 law firms in Chicago. He is a former patent examiner in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and a former electrical engineer with General Dynamics Land Systems Division, where he designed and tested communication circuitry and systems for advanced military combat vehicles.

Peter developed, drafted and managed complex patent portfolios in the U.S. and over 20 international jurisdictions. He represented clients in patent litigation and in post-grant proceedings before the USPTO Patent Trial and Appeal Board and the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences. He drafted opinions of counsel and assisted in product development to minimize infringement risks, as well as negotiated licenses, agreements, and patent purchase transactions totaling over $100M.

Representative software experience includes:

• Virtual machines
• Mapping
• Operating systems
• Encryption
• Compression
• Compilers
• Gaming
• Financial transactions
• Computer-aided design
• Audio and video signal processing
• Encoders/decoders
• Machine vision and machine learning technologies
• Bioinformatics

Representative hardware experience includes:

• Microprocessor architecture
• Memories
• Digital cameras
• Cellular telephones
• Satellite communications
• Networking
• Digital imaging
• RFID
• Medical devices
• Engine technology
• Medical equipment
• Automotive
• Security systems
• Digital television
• Manufacturing control
• Digital publishing
• Power systems

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

• Licensing Executives Society (LES)
• American Bar Association Section of Intellectual Property Law
• Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago

PUBLICATIONS

• Founder, editor and publisher of The 271 Patent Blog (2004-2011).  Pioneered leading patent blog covering issues in patent law, litigation and patent business strategies.  Averaged over 10,000 page loads per month.
• “Employing Successful Strategies for Patent Litigation,” Recent Trends in Patent Infringement Lawsuits: Leading Lawyers on Analyzing Significant Patent Infringement Cases and Developing Successful Litigation Strategies, Thomson West, Aspatore Books (2010).
• Digital RFID Magazine, “Protecting Your Technology and Business in a RFID World Facing an Uncertain IP Future” (March/April 2006).
• “Looking for Fire Amidst the Smoke – Is the Federal Circuit Really Exceeding Its Appellate Authority in Patent Infringement Cases?” 12 U. Balt. Intell. Prop. L.J. 1 (2003); cited to Supreme Court on petition for certiorari, Merck & Co. Inc. v. Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. (No. 05-236) and Phillips v. AWH Corp. (No. 05-602).

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

• Featured Speaker, “Bilski: Thinking Ahead; Developing Strategies for the Future,” Chicago Bar Association IP Law Committee (Oct. 2010).
• Panelist, “IP Blogs and Related ‘Web 2.0’ Topics,” Houston IP Law Association 25th Annual Institute on IP Law (Oct. 2009).
• Featured Speaker, “McKesson and the Future of Inequitable Conduct,” Dunes CLE, Las Vegas NV (May, 2009).
• Featured Speaker, “Patent Litigation in the 21st Century,” Northwestern Journal of Technology and Intellectual Property 1st Annual Symposium (Feb. 2006).
• Featured Speaker, “Software and Business Method Patents: Helping or Hindering Innovation?”  Northwestern University Law School IP Society (Feb. 2006).