Walter C. Linder

Senior Counsel

+1 612 766 1600

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Overview

Walt Linder partners with growing and established companies to develop and manage their worldwide intellectual property portfolios. Walt’s extensive breadth of experience— which includes a term as in-house IP counsel at 3M and interacting with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on a wide variety of matters— enables him to quickly bring sound judgment to a wide range of clients’ patent and technology legal issues. While he focuses on patents, he routinely counsels clients on a range of IP matters, including trademarks, trade secrets and copyrights.

Patent Experience

Walt assists clients on all aspects of patent-related legal issues encountered in their businesses. He has particular experience in post-grant proceedings, including:

Prosecuting post-grant proceedings including inter partes reviews, covered business method reviews, reexaminations and reissue patent applications
Developing and implementing business programs to identify, evaluate and protect valuable inventions
Assessing and rendering opinions on the patentability of inventions
Building worldwide patent portfolios
Assessing and rendering opinions on the validity and infringement risks of patents
Assessing and rendering opinions on patent design-around opportunities
Conducting freedom to operate evaluations

Technology Experience

Walt prosecutes patent applications in a range of electrical, mechanical, software and business method technologies, including:

Medical devices, technology and informatics
Disk drives and components
Optical image processing
RF and other wireless communication systems
Integrated circuits and MEMS devices
3D Printing
Semiconductor devices and manufacturing processes
Construction equipment
Software-controlled machines
Financial services
Laser imaging systems
Food products and packaging
Radar systems

Transaction Experience

Walt understands that patents and other intellectual property are assets that can optimize the value of a business in various ways. He advises clients on IP-related business transactions, including:

Negotiating and preparing patent, trademark, trade secret and copyright license agreements
Negotiating and preparing joint development agreements involving intellectual property
Conducting IP due diligence in mergers and acquisitions
Advising boards of directors on intellectual property
Negotiating and preparing sponsored research agreements