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Michael F. Hay
Associate
Assistant
Kim Wattner713.223.2300 x2583
Mr. Hay focuses his practice on U.S. and foreign patents, licensing, client counseling, investigations, and opinions in industries including: oil and gas, oilfield services, chemical, materials, and polymer. In addition, Mr. Hay frequently counsels clients with respect to trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and internet domain names.
Mr. Hay has experience representing clients in a wide range of intellectual property issues focused on protecting, creating, enhancing and enforcing intellectual property rights. He has experience counseling clients in the drafting and prosecuting of patents before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in the chemical, pharmaceutical and mechanical arts, including organic and inorganic chemical synthesis, polymer science, electrochemistry, catalysts, small molecules, nanotechnology, materials science, synthetic fuels including syngas, biodiesel, simple and complex mechanical devices, medical devices, biotechnology and oilfield related matters including drilling equipment, drilling fluids, and chemical processing.
As well, he has experience drafting ex parte and inter partes reexamination requests, preparing patent landscape and non-infringement/invalidity analysis, drafting and negotiating licensing agreements, conducting due diligence investigations, and providing support in litigation matters.
Prior to law school, Mr. Hay worked as a polymer chemist and as a research scientist in the semiconductor industry. Prior to his legal career, he was a published author in Journal of Organic Chemistry, Journal of the American Chemical Society and Chemistry of Materials on chemistry related topics.
Publications and Speeches
"Kappos Opts for Fast Track Examination Over 3-Track – for Now," IP Frontline, March 2011
"Bilski Decision Keeps Economic Engines Humming for Future Innovation," NC Bar Association newsletter, November 2010
"Bilski: What Next for Life Sciences," Managing IP, June 2010
"Rescission Sweeps Away Controversial Patent Rules," Executive Counsel, April/May 2010
Education
J.D., University of Houston Law Center, 2003
M.A., Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin, 1997
B.A., Chemistry, University of California at Santa Barbara, 1993
Bar Admissions
Texas
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Court Admissions
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
Affiliations
State Bar of Texas
Houston Bar Association
Houston Intellectual Property Law Association
Licensing Executives Society
Noteworthy
Houston Business and Tax Law Journal, University of Houston
