Michael Zarrabian

Focus of Practice

Michael Zarrabian is a partner at MDAS and focuses his practice on intellectual property matters with a special emphasis on high technology.  He is experienced in handling patent procurement, patentability, infringement and validity opinions, trademarks and copyrights as well as client counseling. This includes counseling clients on complex intellectual property issues and designing and implementing appropriate intellectual property protection strategies.  Michael’s clientele includes publicly traded companies, mid-size companies, and start-ups.

Educational/Technical background

Bachelor of Science Degree with majors in Electrical/Computer Engineering and Computer Science from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1985, Magna Cum Laude.
Masters of Science Degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Southern California in 1989.
J.D. from Loyola Law School in 1993.

Before practicing law, Michael worked as an engineer for several years in the fields of computer engineering and software engineering, including digital and analog circuit design, computer architecture, communication systems, real time systems, spacecraft control systems, satellite attitude control electronics, Enterprise systems, networking, software design and programming, embedded programming, object oriented and visual programming, microcode design, database design.

Legal Experience

Especially well-versed in intellectual property issues involving technology, Michael often counsels clients on related patent, trademark and licensing matters and helps design and implement appropriate intellectual property protection strategies.  As a result Michael is actively involved with intellectual property prosecution, licensing and counseling.  This includes complex intellectual property issues such as patent interferences, reissue applications, appeals, reexamination procedures, trademark appeals, international patent and trademark procurement, due diligence and litigation.

Some of the technology areas in which Michael has helped his clients secure intellectual property rights include computer systems and subsystems, software systems, object oriented systems, distributed systems, Internet, cache systems, digital encoding, digital signal processing, image processing, multimedia systems, network systems, computer architecture, digital and analogue circuits, solid state devices, medical systems, power systems, communication systems, wireless systems, WLAN, electromechanical systems, lasers, mechanical systems, switches, data storage systems such as memory, disk and tape drives.

Michael is admitted in the State of California, and registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Publications

Michael’s publications include: Patent Application," PLI, Editorial Consultant, 1994; "California Intellectual Property Handbook," Matthew Bender, Editorial Consultant, 1994, 1995 & 1996; "Saving Interface, Using Patents to Protect Graphical User Interfaces," Daily Journal, Aug. 18, 1995; "A U.S./Canada Software & Multimedia Perspective," Dept. of Foreign Affairs & International Trade of Canada, Editorial Consultant, Oct. 10, 1995; "Web Site Blues, Internet Page Does Not Confer Personal Jurisdiction," Daily Journal, Sep. 19, 1997; "Tagged Out, References to Others’ Trademarks May Infringe," Daily Journal, Oct. 17, 1997; "Fresh Applications, Protecting Innovative Software With Copyrights and Patents," Daily Journal, Dec. 19, 1997; "Weaving Unfair Competition Law Into Web Technology," Peer Networking Group newsletter, March 1998; "Java and the Law: Protecting Inventive Java Development Platforms," Java Development Journal, Volume 3, Issue 5, 1998; and "The Net and the Law: Protecting Your Company," Beyond Computing, September 1998.

Personal Interests

Outside the office Michael spends time with his wife Ellie and their newborn daughters Leah and Sarah. His personal interests include cosmology, motorcycling, cycling, automobiles, interior decor, technology and quantum mechanics.