CURTIS B. HAMRE

612.455.3802

chamre@hsml.com

Mr. Hamre is an intellectual property business strategist for clients ranging from individuals and start-up companies to large, multi-national companies, both domestic and foreign. With his domestic and international IP knowledge and deep experience, he practices patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret law, including licensing and enforcement. He works on IP prosecution, IP legal opinions, IP due diligence and licensing, enforcement, and counseling clients with respect to IP portfolio management and IP business strategies.

Practice Areas

  • Trademarks
  • Oppositions
  • Contracts
  • Patents
  • Physics
  • Mechanical
  • Electrical
  • Business Methods and Software
  • Business Strategy

Education

  • Concordia College, Moorhead, MN
    • B.A., Physics and Mathematics majors, cum laude
  • University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
    • M.S., Physics
  • Drake University Law School, Des Moines, IA
    • J.D., Law Review

Bar Admissions

  • Minnesota State Bar
  • Iowa State Bar (inactive)
  • United States Patent and Trademark Office
  • United States District Court
  • United States Court of Appeals

Experience

On leaving the U.S. Army as a First Lieutenant, Mr. Hamre was a project engineer for several years for the U.S. Navy where his group notably designed and built 3 different models of high-capability, water-filled submarines in support of U.S. Navy SEAL missions. After changing careers from R & D to Intellectual Property law, Mr. Hamre completed a distinguished, 25 year career at the IP law firm of Merchant & Gould where he was Chair of the International Practice Group. He is a founding partner of HSML.

Mr. Hamre has written and prosecuted hundreds of patent applications for clients ranging from individuals and start-up companies to large, multi-national companies, both domestic and foreign. Mr. Hamre has had a substantial trademark practice. He has long been a counselor and business strategist. Many patents and trademarks which he has worked on have been litigated, licensed, sold for substantial amounts, and/or supported significant businesses. One easy example of a patent prosecuted by Mr. Hamre and later litigated is U.S. Patent 4,624,060 invented and owned by an individual, Susan M. Maxwell. The patent was infringed by many companies in the shoe industry, it was litigated, and judgments were entered and collected in amounts approaching $20 million. There are other stories which can be told.

Mr. Hamre has visited many IP law firms and clients in many foreign countries, including Japan, Korea, other parts of Asia, Germany, France, UK, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Netherlands, Belgium, other parts of Europe, and Canada. Mr. Hamre has used his extensive and varied background to consult and work on many domestic and international IP/business projects.

Professional Affiliations

  • American Intellectual Property Law Association
  • American Bar Association
  • Association Internationale pour la Protection de la Propriete Industrielle
  • Intellectual Property Owner’s Association
  • International Trademark Law Association
  • Licensing Executives Society (USA & Canada), Inc.
  • Minnesota Intellectual Property Law Association
  • Minnesota State Bar Association
  • Observer at Asia Patent Attorney Association
  • Marques, Association of European Trademark Owners