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Michael Annis

Partner

Husch Blackwell LLP

Michael Annis is a Partner in Husch Blackwell LLP’s St. Louis office and belongs to the firm’s Technology, Manufacturing & Transportation industry group.

With 25-plus years’ experience in intellectual property consultation and litigation, Mike protects critical assets and business information for clients nationwide. His pragmatic approach involves partnering with clients to thoroughly evaluate cases and, when possible, avoid disputes – and the courthouse – altogether.

Mike advises clients on patent infringement, trade secret misappropriation, trademark and service mark infringement, unfair competition and false advertising claims. Leader of the firm’s Animal Health & Production team and co-leader of the Alcohol & Beverage team, Mike represents clients in industries including biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, food and beverage products and processing, cannabis and industrial hemp, agricultural and construction equipment, building materials, consumer products, fashion and apparel, electronics and telecommunications.

His primary focus is defending and prosecuting claims of trade secret misappropriation and patent infringement and validity in the civil courts, as well as post-grant proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Mike also represents a number of nationally recognized entities in consumer class actions alleging deceptive and false advertising practices. He also has substantial experience before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) in opposition, cancellation and contested concurrent-use proceedings. Mike also has experience with alcohol beverage labeling regulations through the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau of the U.S. Department of Treasury.

Recent Articles by Michael Annis

For Design Patent Owners (and Alleged Infringers), The Third Time is Not a Charm

Ultimately, the jury’s large damage award might not be the lasting storyline of this case. Apple’s “victory” here shows that well-crafted design patents can offer broad protections against even slight infringements by competitors, and that a well-written design patent and a well-argued case can provide tremendous benefits to the patent owners. Given the relatively inexpensive design patent process and what will only be continued speculation as to how these damages should be calculated, a design patent remains a great defense in the face of even limited infringement by market competitors.