Richard Additon (Director)

Rich Additon focuses on patent prosecution and intellectual property counseling.

Mr. Additon prepares and prosecutes U.S. and international patent applications, mainly in the chemical and mechanical arts. In this regard, Mr. Additon is knowledgeable with respect to a wide range of engineering and manufacturing technologies and processes (e.g., polymer chemistry, materials science, optical fibers and fiber optic cabling, semiconductor design, industrial equipment, medical devices, and consumer products).

Besides practicing before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Mr. Additon prosecutes applications worldwide via both the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) and the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property. As an aspect of portfolio counseling, Mr. Additon helps clients develop effective global intellectual property strategies that consider the costs and benefits of achieving patent protection both within the U.S. and abroad.

Mr. Additon also counsels clients (and performs cost-effective investigations) with respect to patent infringement and patent validity, assists clients in licensing intellectual property assets, and helps clients maintain ideas and inventions as trade secrets.

Prior to practicing law, Mr. Additon worked for several years as a Chemical Engineer in the pulp and paper industry.

Email: additon@summalaw.com

Admitted:
1999, Registered Patent Attorney
1998, North Carolina
1997, Virginia
1996, Florida

Education:
University of Virginia School of Law (J.D., 1996)
University of Maine (B.S. with highest distinction—Chemical Engineering, 1989)

Association Involvement:
American Intellectual Property Law Association
North Carolina Bar Association
Carolina Patent Trademark and Copyright Law Association
American Bar Association
The Federalist Society

Read Rich Additon's comments to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office regarding Proposed Rules that were to limit the intellectual property rights of inventors. Nonetheless, on August 21, 2007, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office promulgated Final Rules (effective November 1, 2007) that would detrimentally affect patent prosecution and, more critically, the rights of inventors and patent applicants. On October 31, 2007, a federal court issued a preliminary injunction to temporarily block implementation of these Final Rules. In 2008, the same federal court permanently enjoined these Final Rules.

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