3 Locations: Mars, PA 16046 ; Morgantown, WV 26505; Ranson, WV 25438
Experienced patent and Trademark attorney in Butler County
Karen TW Sutton
Karen TW Sutton has diverse experience as an intellectual property lawyer specializing in patents, trademark, design and copyright law. She started her career in Taiwan and Malaysia where her clients included multinational corporations such as Nestle and Unilever as well as more regional Asian companies during her years as an IP consultant to a big law firm. In the US, her focus is on providing practical advice to businesses, startups, and entrepreneurs as a rural-based patent attorney in the Mars-Adams Township-Cranberry Township southern corridor of Butler County, although her clients are located throughout the Greater Pittsburgh region and all parts of Pennsylvania, Ohio , Maryland, New York, and all parts of West Virginia, including Morgantown, Wheeling, Charleston, and Ranson, WV in the growing Eastern Panhandle. Karen recognized 25 years ago that the old law firm model was flawed, and like her entrepreneurial clients, sought a different way. Her virtual, modern law firm has always relied on technology to help her deliver great service to her clients regardless of location and without paraprofessional help. Unlike her traditional lawyer colleagues, Karen does not pass off the work to junior attorneys or paraprofessionals and thus is better able to control the quality of the work, as well as respond quickly and nimbly. Her experience and dedication to her clients have earned her much praise, particularly from clients whose rural locations have traditionally been under served, overlooked, and generally ignored.
Karen was a longtime contributor to legal publisher Butterworths (now owned by LexisNexis), and provided head noting services (summaries for leading legal decisions) in Malaysia. Today, she posts her thoughts regularly on LinkedIn, and on her blog commenting on the unique aspects of patent and trademark law as well as the practical side of business as a startup or as a small business owner. Like her clients, she too is an entrepreneur, and she understands the unique needs of entrepreneurs.
Major past and present US clients include Ibis Tek; Marshall Stamping Company; Bergad Inc; Forever Inc.; Epps Global Solutions; Mom's Wholesale Foods; Cardshellz; BVG Veterans of Valor; 70 E Solutions Inc.; Truck Claws LLC; the Weinel Group; Grove City Aviation
Bar Admissions
State Bar of California, 1995
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, 1999
U.S. District Court, Eastern Division of California 2013
Education
LL.B. University of Manitoba, Canada, 1995
B.A. Science, Queen’s University at Kingston, Canada, 1992
Professional Associations and Memberships
California State Bar Intellectual Property Group
Butler County Bar Association
Experienced Technical Consultants
Dr. James A. Retter, Independent Technical Advisor, Wyoming
Jim Retter is a highly sought after patent attorney, with a diverse background in business and law. In his long career he has served as Chief corporate counsel for an engineering and manufacturing company; Partner with Ware, Fressola, Van Der Sluys, and Adolphson; Technical consultant in ballistic protection systems for O’Gara, Hess & Eisenhardt; Senior computer scientist with Computer Sciences Corporation; Founder of Sort, Inc., a software development firm; VP—Engineering with Teledyne Walterboro; Nuclear research officer, US Air Force, serving in support of the US Atomic Energy Detection System; Adjunct Professor of Physics, University of Connecticut, Stamford Branch; Adjunct Professor of Physics and Mathematics, Chapman College; and Technical consultant to ExLog. He is also a Private Pilot and an elected member of Sigma Pi Sigma, Phi Kappa Phi, and Pi Mu Epsilon national honor societies. He received an Air Force Commendation Medal, and is an elected member of the American Physical Society. When he is not working, he enjoys hiking the Rocky Mountains.
Jim has prepared and successfully prosecuted numerous patent applications in wireless communications and other electrical and electronic arts, in software systems, and in the mechanical arts; several hundred in all. Major clients included Nokia, ITT, CiDRA, Pitney Bowes, Alcatel, and Otis Elevators.
Jim is not a member of attorney Sutton's firm, but he works with her from time to time on technical issues related to inventions for which Attorney Sutton is the attorney of record in seeking patent protection. All final submissions are prepared by Attorney Sutton and filed by her firm from her office in Mars, PA.
Bar Admissions
State Bar of Connecticut, 2000
State Bar of Pennsylvania, 2007
United States Patent and Trademark Office, 1997
Education
B.A. Physics/B.A. Mathematics, Duke University, 1973
Ph.D. Physics, University of Connecticut, 1979
J.D. with honors, University of Connecticut, 2000
Tyler Hutsko, Independent Graphic Designer, Irwin, PA
Tyler Hutsko and Jenna Sutton are co-owners of JT Graphics, a patent illustration and 3D modelling company. Tyler and Jenna are pursuing engineering degrees at the University of Pittsburgh.
Tyler nor Jenna are members of attorney Sutton's firm, but they work closely with her to provide quality patent illustrations and other graphics to her clients.
Education
Tyler: B. Sc. Engineering (Mechanical), University of Pittsburgh, 2024; MEng. (Mechanical) 2025
Jenna: B. Sc. Engineering (Civil), University of Pittsburgh, 2023; MEng.(Civil) 2024
John R. Sutton, Independent Graphic Designer and Media Manager, Pittsburgh, PA
John R. Sutton owns JRS Graphics and Media Management, a company providing computer assisted drawing services, including 3-D modelling and patent illustrations, as well as social media management and website design services. John is currently pursuing his mechanical engineering degree at the University of Pittsburgh.
John is an independent contractor providing quality patent illustrations and other graphics to attorney Sutton's inventor clients, and additionally manages her social media and website.