Michael Zawalski uses his mechanical engineering background to work across a broad range of technologies. He prepares and prosecutes U.S. and foreign patent applications in the mechanical, medical device, software, electrical, imaging and chemical fields. Michael advises clients on patent portfolio development and management and helps them create strategic plans to protect their innovations. He regularly works with clients on complex technologies such as:

  • Surgical Tools
  • Advanced mechanical systems and devices
  • Oil and gas systems
  • Drug delivery platforms
  • Diagnostic and imaging systems
  • Medical software and AI
  • Robotic systems

Michael manages clients’ patent portfolios and protects their intellectual property by supporting patent litigation, post-grant proceedings and alternative patent resolution forums. He also assists with due diligence for intellectual property transactions and non-infringement, invalidity and freedom-to-operate (FTO) opinions.

Michael also volunteers for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Patent Pro Bono Program.

Education

  • Saint Louis University School of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, Dean's List, 2022)
    • Woolsack Honor Society
  • University of Missouri (B.S., cum laude)
    • Honors Scholar
    • Mechanical Engineering

Bar Admission

  • Missouri
  • Admitted to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office

Recognition

  • Named one of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America in:
    • Intellectual Property Law, 2026
    • Patent Law, 2026
Publications
All Publications
APEX – An Alternative Patent Resolution Procedure on Amazon
APEX – Amazon’s Solution to Patent Dispute Resolution With the traffic Amazon generates, the e-commerce giant has become an essential, and perhaps even mandatory, marketplace for many companies to sell their products. Yet, companies selling on the platform can face several challenges, including dealing with third-party sellers who provide knockoff and copycat products. Even when a company is selling a product backed with patent protection, third-party sellers providing unlawful knockoff, copycat, or otherwise infringing products can persist and cut into a company’s profits. Patent protection can be a useful tool for guarding against such unlawful products on Amazon. However, traditional ways of enforcing this protection can be difficult and costly to implement. One traditional way can involve sending a cease-and-desist letter to
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USPTO’s New Electronic Grant System Shortens the Time to File Continuing Applications
On April 18, 2023, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) updated the patent grant system to an electronic patent grant (“eGrant”) system. Previously, the USPTO issued patent grants to patent applicants via mail. In the mail system, applicants would typically receive their grant about two to four weeks after paying the issue fee for the patent. Soon, applicants will only have about a week from payment of the issue fee to file a continuing application. Under the eGrant system, patents now issue electronically through the USPTO’s electronic patent application filing and management system (“Patent Center”). The eGrant system was put into place to reduce paper waste, permit issued patents to be viewable and printable by applicants and the public
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