Shawn Kolitch focuses his practice on intellectual property (IP) litigation and on patent prosecution relating to high-tech industries and emerging technologies. Shawn also maintains a strong interest in criminal and Constitutional issues, and in the areas of overlap between science and the law. He has served as a scientific expert in several criminal cases, and as defense counsel in disciplinary actions brought by the Oregon State Bar.
Professional Background
Prior to attending law school, Shawn spent seven years as a physics professor. During that time, he taught physics and pursued his research interests at several colleges and universities, including California Polytechnic State University, the University of Oregon, and Lewis & Clark College.
Shawn’s physics research focused mostly on theoretical gravitational physics, and specifically on the application of gravitational theory to the formation and evolution of the universe. His particular specialization involved modeling the possible behavior of the universe under both classical and quantum extensions of Einstein’s theory of general relativity.
Shawn has authored numerous publications in the areas of theoretical physics, physics education, Constitutional law, and intellectual property law, and has presented his work at conferences and seminars around the United States. He has received several awards for his research, teaching, and academic achievements.
Education
- J.D., cum laude, Northwestern School of Law of Lewis
& Clark College, 2003;
Associate Editor, Environmental Law - Ph.D., physics, University of California, 1996; field of specialization: classical and quantum gravitational theory; Outstanding Graduate Student Teacher, 1990–1991; Eardley Prize, Pacific Coast Gravity Meeting, 1995
- M.S., applied physics, Columbia University, 1990
- B.S., applied mathematics, with honors and distinction, Columbia University, 1989; Allen Prize for Excellence in Applied Mathematics, 1989
Bar and Court Admissions
- State of Oregon
- Federal District of Oregon
- U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
Selected Publications
- S. Kolitch, Patent Claim Construction: the Neglected Preamble, 8 Oreg. Intell. Prop. Newsletter 10 (Summer 2007).
- S. Kolitch, The Proper Scope of Patentability in International Law, 11 Marquette Intell. Prop. L Rev. 150 (2007).
- S. Kolitch, Constitutional Fact Finding and the Appropriate Use of Empirical Data in Constitutional Law, 10 Lewis & Clark L. Rev. 673 (2006).
- S. Kolitch, Preserving the Exculpatory Value of an Opinion Letter, 7 Oreg. Intell. Prop. Newsletter 2 (Spring 2006).
- S. Kolitch, The Environmental and Public Health Impacts of U.S. Patent Law: Making the Case for Incorporating a Precautionary Principle, 36 Envt’l L. Rev. 221 (2006).
- S. Kolitch, Elevation Profiles for Portland, Oregon Road Rides, www.lclark.edu/~kolitch/cycling.html (2004).
- S. Kolitch and D. Eardley, Quantum Decay of Domain Walls in Cosmology I: Instanton Approach, Physical Review D 56 (1997), 4651–4662.
- S. Kolitch and D. Eardley, Quantum Decay of Domain Walls in Cosmology II: Hamiltonian Approach, Physical Review D 56 (1997), 4663–4674.
- S. Kolitch, Qualitative Analysis of Brans–Dicke Universes with a Cosmological Constant, Annals of Physics 246 (1996), 121–132.
- S. Kolitch and D. Eardley, Behavior of FRW Cosmological Models in Scalar–Tensor Gravity, Annals of Physics 241 (1995), 141–152.
- S. Kolitch and B. Hall, Dynamical Systems Treatment of Scalar Field Cosmologies, Los Alamos National Laboratories No. gr–qc/9410039 (1994).
Outside Interests
Shawn is an avid cyclist and bicycle advocate, and also enjoys backcountry hiking and skiing.