John E. Nemazi
Co-Chair Patent Prosecution
Michigan OfficeP (248) 226-2730jnemazi@brookskushman.com

With over 30 years of experience, John serves as the Co-Chair of Brooks Kushman`s patent prosecution group. His practice includes all aspects of domestic and foreign patent prosecution.
John has a deep understanding of various technologies, which he utilizes to protect his client`s intellectual property rights. He works with small and medium sized companies to Fortune 500 corporations on the development and management of patent portfolios.
A company in search of opportunities in new markets often looks for ways to produce a product that competes with products already on the market. John facilitates such efforts by assessing the existing technology and producing a “patent map” that sets forth the market participants and their patent coverage. In this regard, John helps manufacturers find paths to market by designing around existing inventions.
By providing a cross-disciplinary mix of design, legal, and strategic advice at an early stage in the product development process, John helps companies avoid spending research and development money needlessly on “false starts” that ultimately cannot be commercialized. And importantly, John`s services can significantly reduce the time required to take a product from conception to production.
In addition to his strategic design counsel, John is also involved with the firm`s Post Grant Proceedings practice where he counsels clients regarding reexaminations, Inter Partes Review proceedings and Covered Business Method proceedings.
John also advises clients with “freedom to operate” opinions, ensuring that existing patents will not impede a proposed technology. He also analyzes patented products to provide advice on the patent`s claim coverage—along with advice on how to produce a product that will not infringe those claims, perhaps with enhanced functionality or at a lower cost.
Prior to joining the firm, John worked on the General Motors engineering staff as a project engineer in the company`s Advanced Product Engineering Department. He later entered private practice, working on a wide variety of matters, including prosecution, product design, technology licensing, and litigation surrounding mechanical technology, engine controls, and manufacturing processes.
Organizations and Affiliations
Intellectual Property Owner’s Association
Michigan Intellectual Property Law Association
State Bar of Michigan
Association of University Technology Managers
Michigan Venture Capitalists
Recognitions
“Leading Lawyers,” Leading Lawyers Magazine, 2014-2019
“IAM Patent 1000 Recommended Individual,” Intellectual Asset Management, 2014 – 2018
“Leader in the Law”, Michigan Lawyers Weekly 2018
“Top Lawyer,” DBusiness Magazine, 2013, 2015 – 2016
Michigan Super Lawyers, Intellectual Property, 2007 – 2013, 2015 – 2018
Best Lawyers in America, 2017-2019
Press Releases
Nine Brooks Kushman Attorneys Ranked As 2020 Best Lawyer; Two Attorneys Recognized As 2020 Lawyer Of The Year
Brooks Kushman Recognized As Gold-Standard Firm By IAM Annual Patent 1000 For the Sixth Year in a Row; Six Attorneys Recognized As Top Practioners
Brooks Kushman Named Top Patent Firm of 2018 By Juristat
Brooks Kushman Named Top Patent Firm of 2018 By Harrity
Brooks Kushman Ranked In The 2019 Best Law Firms List; Nine Attorneys Ranked As Best Lawyer
Twelve Brooks Kushman Lawyers Named To 2018 Super Lawyers List; Eight Attorneys Honored as Rising Stars
Nine Brooks Kushman Attorneys Ranked As Best Lawyer; Two Attorneys Recognized as Lawyer of the Year
Brooks Kushman Recognized as Gold-Standard Firm By IAM Annual Patent 1000; Six Attorneys Recognized as Top Practioners
Brooks Kushman Ranked in the Top 30 Patent Firms for 2017 By IP Watchdog
Brooks Kushman Shareholder Honored as a 2018 Leader in the Law
Brooks Kushman Ranked In The 2018 Best Law Firms List; Nine Attorneys Ranked As Best Lawyer
Twelve Brooks Kushman Lawyers Named To 2017 Super Lawyers List; Ten Attorneys Honored As Rising Stars
Nine Brooks Kushman Attorneys Ranked as 2018 Best Lawyers
Gold in IAM Annual Patent 1000
Top 100 Patent Firms in the United States
Brooks Kushman Ranked in the 2017 Best Law Firms List; Eight Attorneys Ranked as Best Lawyers
Five Brooks Kushman Lawyers Named To 2017 Top Lawyers List
Eight Brooks Kushman Lawyers Named To 2016 Super Lawyers List; Eight Attorneys Honored As Rising Stars
Brooks Kushman Congratulates 7 Attorneys Named as 2017 Best Lawyers In America
Brooks Kushman Recognized as Gold-Standard Firm in Patent 1000 Listing for Third Consecutive Year
Eleven Brooks Kushman Attorneys Named Top Lawyers
Fifteen Brooks Kushman Attorneys Named 2015 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
Brooks Kushman Named One of the Most Active Firms at the PTAB During the First Half of 2015
Brooks Kushman Recognized as Michigan's only Gold-Standard Firm in Patent 1000 Listing
Brooks Kushman Earns Gold Honors in Patent 1000 Listing
Twelve Brooks Kushman Attorneys Selected as DBusiness Top Lawyers for 2013
Brooks Kushman Attorneys Honored by Michigan Super Lawyers in Intellectual Property
Brooks Kushman Successfully Defends Cleveland Die & Manufacturing Co. in Patent Suit
Patents Help Company Create A More Environmentally Friendly Sewer Treatment System
Global Patent Offices Increasingly Share The Work
The Fab Five: Five Brooks Kushman Lawyers Named to 2010 Super Lawyers List; Two Attorneys Honored as Rising Stars
False Patent Marking: Will Your Company be Sued Next?
Detroit Legal News: Duck, duck, decoy: Attorney is passionate - and accomplished - duck carver
Avoiding Intent In A False Patent Marking Action
Recent Changes in the Law Regarding False Patent Marking in the United States
Six Brooks Kushman Lawyers Named to 2008 Super Lawyers List; Five Up-and-Coming Attorneys Named Rising Stars
Commerce Township Entrepreneur Prevails in Case Against Microsoft for Willful Infringement of Anti-Piracy Software Patents
Brooks Kushman Lawyers Named to 2007 Super Lawyers List
Client Alerts
USPTO Announces Fee Increases Effective January 16, 2018
Design Protection Goes Global: The Hague Agreement Will Change Industrial Design Strategies
Media Coverage
Featured, “Ford wins PTAB challenge over hybrid vehicle tech,” Law360, November 2015
Featured, “Ford Wins More Hybrid Vehicle Patent Appeal Board Reviews,” Law360, November 2015
Featured, “Ford Wins Another PTAB Review of Paice Hybrid Car Patent,” Law360, November 2015
Featured, “USPTO Rules for Ford in Dispute Over Hybrid Vehicle Tech,” Law360, September 2015
Featured, “2014 IAM Patent 1000,” Intellectual Asset Management, June 2014
Featured, “2013 Super Lawyers List,” Super Lawyers, September 2013
Featured, “Engineering Firm Aims to Head Off Sewage Overflows,” Crain’s Detroit Business, March 2011
Featured, “Patent Attorney Interview,” Detroit Legal News, July 2010
Featured, “2009 Super Lawyers, Intellectual Property Category,” Super Lawyers, October 2009
Publications
Co-Author, “Global Patent Offices Increasingly Share the Work,” National Law Journal, December 2010
Co-Author, “False Patent Marking: Will Your Company be Sued Next?” Corp! Magazine, September 2010
Co-Author, “Avoiding Intent in a False Patent Marking Action,” Law360, July 2010
Author, “Recent Changes in the Law Regarding False Patent Marking in the United States,” Brooks Kushman Newsletter, February 2010
Co-Author, “The Provisional Priority Land Mine,” Intellectual Property & Technology Law Journal, January 2004