Three Alston & Bird attorneys and the firm itself have been recognized by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for their leadership in assisting financially under-resourced inventors and small businesses.
Partner Chris Lightner and associates Tyler McKendrick and Thomas Richard Parker II of the firm’s Intellectual Property – Mechanical Patents Team were awarded the USPTO’s 2019 “Patent Pro Bono Achievement Certificate.”
This is the third year that Lightner has been recognized with the award and the second year for McKendrick.
“I want to congratulate all of the recipients for their dedication and their time, as well as for their commitment to help under-resourced inventors and small businesses,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO Andrei Iancu.
In addition to the individual attorney honors, the USPTO recognized Alston & Bird’s patent pro bono leadership with its 2019 “Law Firm Achievement Certificate,” the second consecutive year the firm has earned this honor.
In 2019, 74 volunteer patent practitioners and 27 law firms were recognized with the award for reporting 50 or more hours of patent pro bono service to a regional patent pro bono program. The regional patent pro bono programs for Alston & Bird are Georgia PATENTS and NC LEAP.