Thomas M. Palisi

Clients appreciate Tom’s ability to counsel them in all areas of intellectual property law, including domestic and international trademark, trade dress, patent, and copyright matters. Having extensive experience in procuring, enforcing, and defending clients' intellectual property rights, Tom focuses on developing the best IP strategies for his clients while never losing sight of their business goals. He has counseled clients in a variety of fields, including medical devices, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, product packaging, trade show and exhibit design, musical instruments and cases, and consumer foods.

Tom appreciates that each client has needs unique to their business. What works for one client will not necessarily fulfill the business objectives of another client. He shuns the “cookie cutter” approach, recognizing that his clients seek his counsel to think outside the box – to come up with strategies that fit each situation. His extensive background in obtaining and enforcing intellectual property rights allow him to approach intellectual property issues from a variety of different perspectives and to develop solutions tailored to specific needs.

Tom regularly counsels clients on maximizing their IP assets, while also assessing the potential risks associated with the introduction of new products, designs, and product names. He has advised clients with respect to intellectual property matters involved with corporate acquisitions, as well as several corporate naming and branding projects. He also has considerable experience in developing and managing domestic and international trademark portfolios for clients ranging from sole proprietorships to major multinational corporations.

Tom is very active in the international intellectual property community and has developed and nurtured valuable relationships with attorneys throughout the world. The knowledge and experience Tom has gained working with his foreign colleagues have provided Tom with the ability to look beyond domestic borders to develop effective strategies for procuring and protecting global intellectual property rights.

Tom gained over seven years of valuable research and distinguished industrial experience in molecular biology and pharmaceutical research with both Scios Inc., formerly California Biotechnology, Inc., and Merck & Co. His colleagues appreciated his aptitude at the lab bench, his “team player” mentality, and his ability to communicate with others. He has since taken those abilities and molded them into a legal career that allows him to effectively counsel a broad range of clients – from scientists and engineers to small business owners and executives. His technical agility affords him the advantage of assisting the commercialization of that which hasn’t been to market before – and packaging the invisible for protection and replication.