Attorneys

V-Card | Email | Phone: 312- 580-1180

Matthew "Chip" De Preter

EDUCATION

  • DePaul University (J.D.)
  • Marquette University (B.S. Electrical and Electronic Engineering)

ADMISSIONS

  • State of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
  • Northern District of Illinois Trial Bar
  • U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
  • 5th Circuit Court of Appeals


PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

  • American Bar Association
  • Chicago Bar Association
  • American Intellectual Property Law Association
  • Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)



Matthew "Chip" De Preter is involved in a variety of different intellectual property practice areas including patent litigation, patent evaluation, the preparation and prosecution of patent and trademark applications, false advertising litigation, and licensing.

Mr. De Preter has experience representing patent owners in the enforcement of their patents against various infringers in the market place. He has also represented domestic and multi-national companies against accusations of patent infringement, anti-trust violations, the misappropriation of trade secrets, and unfair competition. Control systems for newspaper and magazine assembly machines, ink-cartridge refilling machines, medical devices, personal misting fans and fluid containers are among the variety of different technologies at issue in the cases that Mr. De Preter has been involved in litigating.

Mr. De Peter has also engaged in counseling clients in the avoidance of litigation. Through assessing competitor's patent portfolios and working with engineers developing clients' products, Mr. De Preter has identified potentially risky product features and provided practical solutions that clients have implemented or avoided in order to avoid litigation. Additionally, he has assisted clients faced with allegations of infringement in identifying those key areas of the accused technology that distinguished their technology from the accused patents and conveyed that information to adverse parties in order to prevent litigation in the first instance.

In practicing before the United States Patent and Trademark office, Mr. De Preter has assisted individual and corporate clients in seeking and procuring patent protection in a variety of different technological areas including medical equipment, vacuum pumps, vending machines, robotics, semi-conductor chips, optics and tools. Mr. De Preter also has considerable experience with post-grant patent review processes. His trademark practice includes assisting clients in identifying prospective trade names, preparing trademark applications, prosecuting and procuring trademark protection.

Prior to receiving his J.D. degree from DePaul University College of Law, Mr. De Preter attended Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where he obtained a B.S. in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. He is admitted to practice in Illinois and is registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.