Overview
Paula Heyman litigates patent and technology disputes in federal courts across the US and before the International Trade Commission (USITC). She handles matters involving a wide range of technologies, including computer systems, power adapters, computer chips, telecommunications systems, database management software, medical devices and neural network technology. Paula helps clients effectively enforce their intellectual property rights and provides strategic counsel to companies accused of infringement. She has extensive experience in patent interference and post-grant proceedings before the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
Paula also helps clients identify and protect their intellectual property assets in the US and internationally. She manages strategic world-wide patent portfolio development in areas such as integrated circuit design and software for the layout of integrated circuits; semiconductor manufacturing technology, including the design and manufacture of photomasks and the processing steps necessary to fabricate integrated circuit-computer systems; oilfield equipment and associated software; and telecommunications and video conferencing technology. Clients turn to Paula for help evaluating, managing and responding to claims of infringement, and for advice on validity and infringement matters.
Earlier in her career, Paula worked as in-house counsel for Philip Morris International in Switzerland. While in law school, she served as executive editor of the Syracuse Law Review.
Before attending law school, Paula was a circuit design engineer at Digital Equipment Corporation in Hudson, Massachusetts, and at IBM in Austin.
Results
- Represented an industrial automation control provider in litigation asserting multiple patents related to process control using neural networks*
- Successfully defended a large enterprise software and services company against multimillion-dollar commercial fraud claims*
- Successful representation of a major computer equipment manufacturer at trial, including conducting direct examination of several fact witnesses and the cross-examination of the technical expert, where damages liability was reduced by 90%*
- Prepared and prosecuted patent applications, litigation defense and post-grant proceedings in the USPTO on behalf of a major computer equipment manufacturer*
- Provided litigation defense at the USITC for a large data storage company*
- Represented a large medical device company in litigation asserting multiple patents related to electrochemical glucose monitoring technology*
- Advised a large energy company on the management of its patent program and the preparation and prosecution of domestic and foreign patent applications*
- Represented a large consumer appliance company in patent interference proceedings at the USPTO*
- Represented a large packaging company in patent interference proceedings at the USPTO*
- Provided litigation defense in district court for a large telecommunications company*
- Counseled a major photomask manufacturer on patent program management and patent prosecution*
- Advised a small software company on patent program management and preparation and prosecution of patent applications*
*Matter handled prior to joining McDermott.
Recognitions
- Texas Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2008
Community
- The Honorable Lee Yeakel Intellectual Property American Inn of Court, member
- Austin Intellectual Property Law Association, member
- Intellectual Property Owner’s Association, Women in IP Law Committee, member
Credentials
Education
Syracuse University College of Law, JD, magna cum laude, 2000
Cornell University, BS, Electrical Engineering, 1993
Admissions
Texas
Courts/Agencies
US Patent and Trademark Office
US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
US District Court for the Southern District of Texas
US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
US District Court for the Western District of Texas
US District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
US District Court for the Southern District of New York
US District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
