James B. Conte brings a wealth of success and experience in all facets of commercial litigation, commercial transactions, patent matters, and trademark matters. In the patent, trademark, and copyright space, James represents large and small businesses and individuals on worldwide intellectual property acquisition, transactions, and enforcement. He routinely obtains key patents and trademarks in the United States (US) and internationally. In more detail, in his patent practice, James is an expert in the preparation and filing of United States provisional patent applications to protect ideas in the early stages of product development. He prepares and successfully prosecutes to a grant of patent United States non-provisional patent applications to protect US innovation, international patent applications to provide protection for inventions in foreign countries, and US and foreign design patent applications to protect the look of a products. In his trademark practice, James has extensive experience in acquisition of word and design marks and the obtention of trade dress protection for the look of industrial and consumer products and architecture, including acquisition of trade dress in the look of restaurants. He develops strategies to protect alphanumeric designations that started as part numbers. He also develops local trademark protection in key states in which a client needs to enforce trademark rights. In his Patent litigation practice, James has first- and second-chair federal and state trial court experience. He vigorously defends clients against charges of patent and trademark infringement. He has successfully defended clients against claims asserted by Starbucks, Talking Rain, and H & R Block. On the flipside, he successfully enforces the rights of clients in patent, trademark, copyright, trade secrets, and non-compete matters. James provides counseling in the area of patent and trademark risk assessment, legal management, contracts and regulations and has specialized knowledge obtained as a bank auditor. In connection with his commercial litigation practice, James has litigated breach of contract matters, commercial fraud, breach of warranty, breach of duty of loyalty, and theft of trade secrets.

Franklin J. Contreras, Jr. is a member of the firm’s Litigation Department and is a resident in the Irvine office. Mr. Contreras has been with the firm since 1995 when he initially joined the firm as a law clerk. Mr. Contreras concentrates his practice on appellate matters and business litigation including breach of contract disputes, business torts, corporate director and officer litigation and bankruptcy litigation. Mr. Contreras is admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Central District of California, Northern District of California, Eastern District of California, Southern District of California and all courts of the State of California. Mr. Contreras received his undergraduate degree in Social Ecology from the University of California, Irvine and his law degree from Western State University College of Law. During law school, Mr. Contreras earned the American Jurisprudence award for legal writing. Mr. Contreras co-authored an article entitled “Bust the Trust: Why the Bankruptcy Trustee Should Carefully Examine the Creation, Funding and Administration of Irrevocable Trusts,” which was published in the California Bankruptcy Journal in 2011.

Judith (Judy) Conway represents victims of serious personal injury and wrongful death, from the initial client introduction through trial and appeal. She focuses on representing victims of mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, and other asbestos related diseases. During her career, Ms. Conway has successfully represented hundreds of clients and their families in recovering for their personal injury or death. She has secured tens of millions of dollars in settlements for wrongful death and survival action cases in Illinois, and serves as lead counsel for plaintiff’s asbestos litigation and sexual abuse litigation across the United States. Judy played a critical role in obtaining a $20 million settlement, which occurred during closing arguments of a three-week jury trial. Ms. Conway received her Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School. While attending Michigan Law, she was elected President of the Law School Student Senate. Judy earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Notre Dame where she completed a triple major in Political Science, Spanish, and Sociology. As an attorney, Ms. Conway is active in several bar associations and charitable organizations, including the Illinois State Bar Association, American Bar Association, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, Chicago Federation of Labor, Oak Park River Forest Community Foundation, the Notre Dame Club of Chicago, and the Michigan Law Alumni Club of Chicago.

Matt graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1999 and went on to obtain his Juris Doctor in 2003 from the University of South Carolina. During his legal study, he received CALI Awards for the highest law school grade in Insurance and Criminal Procedure. Matt has practiced solely in SC Workers' Compensation Law since 2004. Matt is a member of the South Carolina Bar Association, South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Educational Association, South Carolina Injured Workers’ Advocates (IWA), and Charleston County Bar Association. He is a certified court mediator. Matt was inducted into the Million Dollar Advocates Forum having achieved a workers’ compensation settlement in excess of One-Million Dollars. He was named to the South Carolina Super Lawyers Rising Star list and was honored to be nationally recognized by being named to the Lawyers of Distinction.