John T. Tower, Esq.
John Tower has been with Hitchcock Evert since June 2005 – first as a law clerk, now as a licensed attorney admitted to the Patent Bar. Working with the firm, he has represented clients in complex patent, trademark and copyright litigation; prosecuted patent applications in the United States and internationally in the areas of electronics, telecommunications, computer software and medical devices; performed due diligence for corporate transactions involving patent portfolios; and assisted in a variety of intellectual property licensing and enforcement matters.
John’s experience in intellectual property litigation at the district and appellate court levels includes representation of clients in such diverse industries as computer software, consumer electronics, restaurant services, and sports technology. In addition to his federal district court litigation experience, John also has experience with domain name enforcement matters through the World Intellectual Property Organization where he has successfully worked to have domains transferred to clients. He has also successfully represented clients in connection with the new Inter Partes Review procedure before the Patent Trial & Appeal Board of the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office.
John also co-authored amicus briefs before the Federal Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court in the high-profile case The Association for Molecular Pathology et al v. Myriad Genetics, Inc., which addressed the issue of the patentability of human genetic material (specifically, the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes and mutations thereof that correlate to an increased risk for breast and ovarian cancers).
Prior to entering Texas Wesleyan University Law School, John earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.
REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE
- Working with a restaurant entity to successfully obtain a permanent injunction and an award of attorney’s fees against a company which had misappropriated the restaurant’s trademarks and trade dress
- Assisting in written discovery, depositions and mediation in a trademark and trade dress infringement case relating to water filtration systems, ultimately leading to a successful settlement in favor of the defendant clients
- Negotiating a favorable settlement on behalf of a major restaurant chain accused of infringing a non-practicing entity's portfolio of mobile communications patents
- Obtaining a favorable settlement on behalf of a food supplier accused of trademark infringement and cybersquatting
- Obtaining a favorable settlement of patent claims relating to parking systems against a major international airport
- Negotiating a favorable settlement on behalf of a major restaurant chain accused of infringing a non-practicing entity's e-commerce patents
- Securing dismissal of a patent lawsuit against several co-defendants relating to the manufacture of GPS-based consumer electronic devices
- Assisting in discovery, mediation and settlement of a copyright and trade secret misappropriation suit relating to computer software and proprietary customer information
- Ensuring indemnification from the technology provider on behalf of a major restaurant chain accused of infringing a non-practicing entity's location-based patents
HONORS/MEMBERSHIPS
- The Honorable Barbara M.G. Lynn American Inn of Court
- Associate, 2015-present
- Citations Editor, Texas Wesleyan University Law Review – 2005-06
- Magister, Phi Delta Phi Law Honor Society – 2004-05
- Eta Kappa Nu Electrical Engineering Honor Society – 1999-2003
BAR ADMISSIONS
- State of Texas, 2006
- U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, 2007
- United States Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. District Court - Northern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court - Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court - Western District of Texas
EDUCATION
- Juris Doctorate, cum laude – Texas Wesleyan University Law School, 2006
- Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering – University of Texas, 2003