Mike Gates

Mike’s practice is fully devoted to patents, particularly preparation and prosecution for both utility and design patents. He has overseen patent prosecution both domestically and overseas for a wide mix of clients, from entrepreneurs and small businesses to multinational corporations. In addition, he prepares freedom to operate opinions and patentability opinions, and he has assisted clients with post-grant proceedings, including reexaminations and inter partes reviews. Mike also provides overall patent portfolio management services, advising clients on their overall patent strategies.

While Mike works with clients of all sizes, he is especially passionate about representing startups and emerging companies, partnering with these clients to help them pursue an IP portfolio that meets their current and future needs. He has worked with numerous startups who were supported in later successful acquisitions and exit strategies by their strong IP portfolios.

Alongside his interest in startups, Mike also regularly assists well-established companies and multinational corporations with their patent needs. He has represented clients across a wide range of industries but is particularly experienced in the medical device field, where he has experience with implantable medical devices, including neuromodulation and electrostimulation devices and implantable defibrillators, infusion pumps, electrosurgical devices, ablation catheters, and orthopedic braces, among others. He is highly knowledgeable about the medical device industry as a whole, often providing clients with insight into trends gaining traction among competitors.

Mike offers clients nearly 20 years of experience in patent law from his time at a boutique IP firm. He also worked in the Automotive Division of 3M, an experience that gave him an inside understanding of how multinational corporations and their engineering departments operate. Clients know they can depend on him to understand—and achieve—exactly what they need.