CHRIS CRAVEY, Associate (e-mail: cravey@wmalaw.com)
PRACTICE AREAS
Patent prosecution, patent litigation, trade secret litigation and counseling, and general intellectual property counseling
EDUCATION
J.D. University of Houston Law Center (2001), Cum Laude
MBA University of Houston (2001)
B.S.E.E. Texas A&M University (1997), Magna Cum Laude
LEGAL & TECHNICAL EXPERIENCE
· Vinson & Elkins, May 2000 – July 2005, Patent Agent/Associate
· Texas Instruments, Product Engineer, August 1995 – January 1996, May 1996 – August 1996, and December 1996 – May 1997 (employment through Texas A&M cooperative education program).
Mr. Cravey’s practice is primarily devoted to patent litigation and prosecution matters involving highly technical and complex technology. Representative technologies include computer systems, communications systems, memory products, semiconductor manufacturing processes, video display systems, real-time data solutions, seismic modeling and measurement-while-drilling (MWD) solutions, robotics, mechanical devices, and business processes. Mr. Cravey’s practice also includes counseling clients on intellectual property acquisition, divesture, and enforcement issues.
Prior to joining Vinson & Elkins, Mr. Cravey worked at Texas Instruments as a product engineer in the digital signal processing group. His employment with Texas Instruments was through the cooperative education program at Texas A&M University.
REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS
Mr. Cravey has been involved in the prosecution of United States and foreign applications for a wide variety of companies, including Advanced Micro Devices, Lucent, Halliburton, Compaq Computer Corporation, BMC Software, Object Reservoir, and Intrametrics. Mr. Cravey has experience representing clients in Texas trade secret cases and has assisted in seeking temporary restraining orders and in resolving cases through mediation. Mr. Cravey is also experienced in patent litigation, and has assisted with cases for clients such as Advanced Micro Devices, BMC Software, Hewlett-Packard Co., Wireless Valley, and LifeSize Communications Inc.
CLE PRESENTATIONS
Sovereign Immunity as a Defense to Intellectual Property Infringement (July 2004)
Business Method Patents – An Overview of Selected Topics (February 2003)
ADMITTED
Mr. Cravey is a member of the Texas Bar and is admitted to practice in the Southern and Eastern Districts of Texas. He is registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.