Banner Witcoff, Ltd., a national intellectual property law firm that procures, enforces and litigates intellectual property rights throughout the world, welcomed two new associates and a technical specialist in the second half of 2018.
Deji Akanbi, Technical Specialist, Washington, D.C., focuses his practice on the preparation and prosecution of domestic and foreign patents in the fields of telecommunications, signal processing, optics and photonics, electronic circuits and systems, computer networks, sensor devices and networks, and power systems. He has worked on the prosecution of patents involving complex engineering technologies.
Prior to joining Banner Witcoff, Deji was a technology advisor at an intellectual property law firm. Prior to entering the legal industry, he worked as an engineer at Sandia National Laboratories, Halliburton and Hewlett Packard.
He earned both his B.Sc., summa cum laude, and Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Brian T. Apel, Associate, Chicago, focuses on patent litigation. He has experience in all stages of litigation: pre-suit diligence including opinion work, fact and expert discovery including non-dispositive motion practice, preliminary injunctions, claim construction, damages, summary judgment, trials, and appeals. He also has experience in litigation-related post-grant proceedings before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and in alternative dispute resolution.
Prior to joining Banner Witcoff, Brian worked for a national intellectual-property law firm and clerked for a federal district judge in Minnesota. Prior to law school, he served as an officer in the U.S. Navy, specializing in the operation, maintenance, and repair of shipboard propulsion, electrical, and nuclear systems.
He earned his B.A. in chemistry, specializing in organic synthesis and catalysis. He earned his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School.
Anthony J. Denis, Associate, Chicago, focuses his practice on patent and trademark litigation. He has experience in technologies such as sporting goods, mechanical devices, cleaning products, and consumer goods.
Prior to joining Banner Witcoff, Anthony served as a Managing Editor of the Indiana Law Journal at Indiana University Maurer School of Law. Anthony also served in the Maurer School of Law’s Intellectual Property Clinic, engaging directly with clients and gaining experience in a range of intellectual property areas.
He earned his B.S. in chemistry, magna cum laude, from The Ohio State University. He earned his J.D. from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law.
About Banner Witcoff, Ltd.
A national intellectual property law firm with more than 110 attorneys and nearly 100 years of practice, Banner Witcoff provides legal counsel and representation to the world’s most innovative companies. Our attorneys have the breadth of experience and insight needed to handle complex intellectual property applications, as well as handle and resolve difficult disputes and business challenges for clients across all industries and geographic boundaries. For more information, visit http://www.bannerwitcoff.com/.
Please direct all media inquiries to Amanda Robert at (312) 463-5465 or arobert@bannerwitcoff.com.
Posted: December 5, 2018
