Facsimile
California: (925) 600-7342
Washington: Call & ask
Connecticut: Call & ask
Gerald R. Prettyman has been drafting and prosecuting patents since 2001 and preventing and solving legal problems for his clients since 2006. Mr. Prettyman previously used his management and engineering skills to improve operations at small and large companies. He also has 8 years experience as a medical technician; two published law review articles, a law blog, and makes other online contributions.
Representative Patents
Law Office of Gerald R. Prettyman
"Protection for All Your Ideas Under the Sun."℠
Gerald R. Prettyman, Esq.
Summary of Legal Registrations
Registered, U.S. Patent Office, 2001 (#48,778)
Licensed California, 2006 (SBN 247778)
Licensed Minnesota, 2009 (SBN 389572)
Federal Courts Admitted
U.S. District Court, N. District of California
The Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Educational Summary
LL.M., Intellectual Property, 2007
J.D., Golden Gate University, 2005
B.S.M.E., U. of California, San Diego, 1989
A.A. with Honors, Chabot College, 1983
Summary of Prelegal Experience
Business Management, 1993-2001
Mechanical Engineer, 1990-1993
Nuclear Engineer, 1986-1990
Medical Lab. Tech., 1976-1985
Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.), Master of Laws In Intellectual Property (LL.M.)
Licensed in California and Minnesota,
and a Registered Attorney with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Call (925) 600-7342 or Email grplaw (at) gmail.com
My Résumé
PUBLIC TRUST
Published Articles and Presentations
Online Posts @ http://grpblawg.blogspot.com/
Areas of Practice
» Inventions – Patents* and Trade Secrets
» Ideas – Business, Trademark, Trade Dress
» Designs – Artwork & Industrial Design
» Art & Music – Copyright and File Sharing
» Internet – Domain Names and Web Hosting
» Internet – Electronic Commerce & Shopping
» Internet – Uploading & Downloading
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» Business – Sole Proprietor, LLC and Corporations
» Business – Finance & Capitalization Consultation
» Contracts – Confidentiality & Non-Disclosure
» Contracts – Contractor & Non-Compete Agreements
» Software – Development & Employment Agreements
» Entertainment – Licensing & Royalties
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| *Patents applications drafted include electronic devices, software, memory, hardware, machines & appliances, solar and clean technology, and specialty utensils among others. |
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» Elder Care & Protection (Title 22)
» Medical Care & Medical Devices
» Animal Care, Personal Property Rights
» Consumer Protection, Contract & Fraud
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» Product Engineering & Defects
» Wills and Trusts, Estate Planning
» Property and Nuisance Claims
» Insurance Valuation Disputes, Bad Faith Claims
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INITIAL CONSULTATION
On the legal side, my initial consultation includes the use of patents, trademarks, copyright and contracts to protect your idea, discussing the various forms of business entities, the requirements, advantages and disadvantages (tax implications and burden) of each, and how can contracts can provide limited liability without the expense of an LLC.
On the business side, my initial consultation includes discussing the steps to take to determine your target customer, how to determine the optimum price point without a lot of trial and error, how to find and effectively network your business, and if you are interested, what steps are necessary to fund, license or sell your business.
Please call or email and we'll set up a full 90-minute consultation. It's flat fee ($90) and I'll answer all that you can ask that I can answer.
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♦ "The Evolving Written Description Doctrine and the Search for Specificity."
Pepperdine University School of Law, Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship & the Law, Fall 2007. ♦ "Ethical Reforms in Biotechnology Research Regulations."
University of Virginia School of Law, Journal of Social Policy & the Law, Fall 2007. ♦ "A Statutory Battle of the Bees and Seedless Crops."
FlimFlam. The Newsletter of the Eastern Alameda County Bar Association, October 2009 Volume 10, Issue #7, p 7. ♦ "Out-of-print and out-of-touch."
FlimFlam. The Newsletter of the Eastern Alameda County Bar Association, November 2009 Volume 10, Issue #8, pp. 3-4. |
♦ "They Stole My Idea & Other Myths"
FlimFlam. The Newsletter of the Eastern Alameda County Bar Association, January 2010 Volume 11, Issue #1, pp. 2-3. Presented 1/15/2010. Presentation Handout ♦ "Discovery of Private Electronic Devices."
FlimFlam. The Newsletter of the Eastern Alameda County Bar Association, February 2010, Volume 11, Issue #2, p. 4. ♦ "eDiscovery Tips for the Legal Practitioner."
FlimFlam. The Newsletter of the Eastern Alameda County Bar Association, March 2010 Volume 11, Issue #3, pp. 2-5. Presented 2/19/10. Presentation Handout California Statute Markup ♦ "The Low Down on High Tech."
FlimFlam. The Newsletter of the Eastern Alameda County Bar Association, May 2010, Volume 11, Issue #4, p. 2-3, 5. |
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• On Heart Attacks, Aspirin and Lying Down (4/22/10)
• Copyright – Part I: Out-of-print and out-of-touch (4/5/10)
• Wasted money on a provisional patent application (12/14/09)
• Applying copyright registration to subsequent works by the author (11/14/09)
• To insure, or not to insure: that is the question (9/1/09)
• Should product features of touch, smell or taste be eligible for trademark? (7/13/09)
| • LifeLine Screening - Stretching fluff into false advertising? (7/11/09)
• Trademarks as verbs and the significance of meaning (6/15/09).
• Life Line Screening - Turning Facts and Half-truths into a Marketing Marvel (4/23/09).
• Has 'Spare the Air' Spared the Penalty and Raised a Constitutional Question? (2/11/09).
• The Debate over Bees and Seedless Crops. (1/9/09).
• Detecting Targeted Email Scams - The New Phishing. (1/7/09).
• Cell phones, Radiation and Cancer. (1/3/09).
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Memberships and Other Activities
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California Intellectual Property Law Section Eastern Alameda County Bar Association Alameda County Bar Association Contra Costa County Bar Association Attorney Coach for the 2009-2010 Amador Valley High School Mock Trial Team. Member of the Rotary Club of Pleasanton North Member and 2010 Vice-President of Business Builders USA Program Advisor to the Tri-Valley Innovation Network 
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Member of the East Bay Innovation Group
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