THE IP WORKS LEGAL ADVOCATES
As a business leader, you know the value of having a cohesive team. Strong, efficient teams deliver value to any business. At IP Works, we work with you to help you make better decisions about your intellectual property and get the results you need.
Whether you need advice & guidance, trademark clearance & registration, patent application filing & prosecution, license agreements, IP enforcement, or litigation, we’ve got you covered. We believe in custom solutions, so we start most projects with a call with your team so we can discuss what you really need and find the right balance in terms of size and scope.
CATHERINE A. CAVELLA, ESQ.
FOUNDING ATTORNEY, IP WORKS LAW
Since 1992, Catherine Cavella, Esq. has advised creatives, entrepreneurs, and small businesses on intellectual property law and business law matters. Catherine started out in Los Angeles, California, practicing entertainment law with a focus on music law, trademarks, copyrights, and related litigation. Her focus on Trademark Law and Copyright Law for the last few decades gives her deep insights into the fundamental principles behind the rules. Catherine regularly writes about new developments in trademark law, copyright law, and internet law.
Catherine draws on a wealth of experience to help businesses navigate trademark, copyright, patent, and contract issues to maximize the value of their marketing and innovation. She regularly advises and assists clients with contract, corporate, intellectual property, internet law, and domain issues. She has obtained over a thousand trademark registrations for clients including product design and trade dress trademark registrations. Catherine has worked with hundreds of inventors and numerous patent attorneys on utility patents in fields ranging from software to chemical processes.
Catherine holds a bachelor’s degree in cello performance from California State University, Long Beach, and a J.D. from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, and is pursuing a degree in microbiology. She is a serial entrepreneur and the founder of Cavella Law Group and IP Works, PLLC.
When she is not helping clients make money and avoid wasteful lawsuits, Catherine enjoys playing music, baking, knitting, learning, and spending time with family.
TIMOTHY M NITSCH, ESQ.
REGISTERED PATENT ATTORNEY
Tim represents individual inventors and small, midsized and large corporations. He has experience in technology-related industries such as computer software, computer networking, automation systems, electrical circuits, mechanical systems and business methods.
Tim is a registered patent attorney with extensive experience prosecuting patent applications related to liquid crystal displays including applications relating to device and manufacturing methods for organic LED and LCD displays such as the formation of the layers of oLED pixels, backlighting devices for displays, signal processors for LCD displays, driving devices and methods for oLED and LCD displays, sampling circuits for LCD and oLED displays, touch sensitive LCD and oLED displays, devices and methods of providing different optical layers on displays, devices and methods of providing optical layers for three dimensional viewing of images on oLED and LCD displays, and LCD displays on camera and cellular phones (flip chip technology).
Tim also has extensive experience drafting and negotiating license agreements for technology, drafting and negotiating software development agreements, master service agreements, manufacturing agreements and distribution agreements. Tim also manages and files trademarks and copyrights.
Prior to practicing law, Tim was a building automation engineer. He also has experience as a senior research engineer at a large network infrastructure manufacturer, and is a named inventor on six patents for electrical devices and software.
EDUCATION
Loyola University, Chicago, IL
§ Juris Doctorate – Magna Cum Laude 2004-2008
Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, IL
§ Bachelor of Science – Mechanical Engineering 1992-1995
KEVIN M. WATKINS
PARALEGAL, BILLING & ACCOUNTS
Heading up our paralegal team is Kevin M. Watkins, who comes to us after a career in the security electronics industry. Kevin’s meticulous attention to detail and passion for justice makes him a valuable asset to our firm. Kevin loves problem-solving and has a keen instinct for systems improvement. In addition to diligently and expertly assisting with USPTO filings, Kevin leads our paralegal team and handles billing and accounts questions for clients.
When he is not helping our clients keep their trademarks renewed and making sure everything is in its right place, Kevin enjoys electric skateboards, drones, and spending time with his grandchildren.
NICOLE A. WASSON
PARALEGAL, IP WORKS LAW
We are fortunate to have Nicole Wasson rounding out our paralegal team. Nicole brings with her a deep understanding of the court system, having worked in the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Courts for nearly 10 years.
Working at the Courts kindled in Nicole an interest in the law, leading her to pursue a Certificate in Paralegal Studies.
In particular, Nicole loves to organize complex information and keep things simple for everyone else, which makes her a perfect fit to manage Docketing and run our Renewals and Maintenance Fee Reminders system.
When she is not keeping things organized and reminding clients of their trademark and patent renewal dates, Nicole enjoys hiking, camping, working out, traveling, destination hikes, and being at home with her dogs.
SARA N. SPRINGER
MARKETING & GRAPHICS, IP WORKS LAW
Sara is our marketing and graphics ace. If you have seen our video Q&As, you may feel you already know Sara. In addition to our video Q&As, Sara creates and manages our social media posts and creates colorful graphics for them.
Sara is an entrepreneur herself, from a family of entrepreneurs, so she “gets” us and she “gets” our clients. Have a question you want answered, or want Catherine or Brad to come to speak to your group about Intellectual Property or entrepreneurship? Let Sara know and she’ll make it happen.
When she isn’t creating and managing marketing gems for IP Works or working with her husband on selling their beautiful custom jewelry, Sara enjoys beach strolls and spending time with her husband, their shaggy dog, and their cats.
