Benjamin J. Lehberger

Firm: Dilworth IP.
Location: New Haven - CT

  • 470 James Street, Suite 007
    New Haven, CT 06513
    USA
  • Tel : 203-220-8496
  • Fax : 203-220-8497

Ben Lehberger has a broad range of experience in patent and trademark law, combined with a technical background in the mechanical arts and aerospace industry. He started his career as a helicopter design engineer at Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation and has been an active airplane pilot and aviation aficionado for over twenty years.

Whether working with a startup or a large publicly traded company, Ben strives to learn the client’s business and understand their business objectives in order to provide customized and creative approaches to the intellectual property issues at hand. He prepares and prosecutes patent applications across a wide variety of technologies, and guides clients of all sizes and stages through the process of procuring patent and trademark protection in the U.S. and abroad to strategically grow their portfolios. He also performs infringement and validity analyses, provides opinions, and negotiates license agreements to help clients monetize their portfolios or preempt disputes.

Ben has represented intellectual property owners and accused infringers through every stage of litigation, from pre-filing investigation through trial and appeal, and counseled clients in mediations and settlement negotiations. The insights and firsthand experiences gained as a litigator also prove valuable in his prosecution, opinion, and licensing activities.

Accomplishments

  • Elected and served as the President of the Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) from 2016 to 2017 and as a member of the Board of Governors from 2017 to present.
  • Drafted and prosecuted hundreds of patent applications across a variety of technologies in the U.S. and foreign patent offices.
  • Handled over twenty patent appeals before the Patent Board and Appeal Board, including over ten oral arguments, with a successful track record of overturning difficult rejections.
  • Managed global patent and trademark portfolio for publicly traded company in the automotive field.
  • Conducted large scale freedom-to-operate study and product design counseling in the medical device field resulting in successful product launches.
  • Managed trademark protection and licensing campaign for media company in the U.S. and abroad.
  • Litigated over thirty patent, trademark, and trade secret infringement cases in U.S. District Courts, state courts, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for Federal Circuit.
  • Successfully negotiated and mediated resolutions to intellectual property disputes.

Technology Areas

Ben’s fields of technology include aerospace, automotive, medical devices, drug delivery, pharmaceutical and consumer product dispensers, integrated operating room technology, and software and computer related inventions.

Publications & Presentations

  • Recovering Lost Profits Under WesternGeco v. ION, May 2019, Joint Patent Practice Continuing Legal Education, Inc.
  • Trade Secret Year In Review, April 2019, Florida IP Law Symposium
  • Where Are We Headed in Space? Charting the Industry’s Trajectory Through Patent Filings, March 2019, Lawyer-Pilots Bar Association Convention
  • Patent Venue In The Aftermath Of TC Heartland v. Kraft Foods, May 2, 2018, Joint Patent Practice Continuing Legal Education, Inc.
  • Intellectual Property Strategies for Startups, Oct 31, 2016, TechCrunch
  • Patent Challenging Is A Lucrative Business For Investment Firms, June 25, 2015, European Pharmaceutical Manufacturer Magazine
  • Is Your Patent Ready For Litigation?, Jan 23, 2015, Corporate Counsel
  • Implementing Patent Marking Strategies After AIA, Oct 4, 2012, Law360
  • America Invents Act and the Implementation of Post Grant Review, Apr 17, 2012, Joint Patent Practice Continuing Legal Education, Inc.

Admitted to Practice

  • 2005, Connecticut
  • 2006, New York
  • 2018, Florida
  • 2004, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Education

  • 2005, Brooklyn Law School, J.D.
  • 1999, Pennsylvania State University, B.S., Mechanical Engineering

Professional Organizations

  • Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (past President)
  • The Judge Janet Bond Arterton American Inn of Court
  • Florida Bar Intellectual Property Committee

Awards

  • 2016, 2017 Super Lawyers, Rising Star
  • 2019, 2020, 2021 Super Lawyers, Top Rated Intellectual Property Attorney

Dilworth IP

With the right support, coming from a team that shares their passion, innovators can have the freedom to bring their ideas to the world. At Dilworth IP, we provide that support, working together to turn your vision into reality, to improve the quality of life for all humanity.

We’ve worked in-house ourselves. We understand the challenges in-house counsel face. Whether it’s budgetary restrictions, tight deadlines, pressure from board members and investors, or maintaining communication between business and legal departments – we get it, a lot is at stake. You’ve dedicated time, money, and energy to realize your vision. We share your commitment to being successful, helping you navigate these challenges every step of the way.

Michael P. Dilworth, former Chief IP Counsel at Chemtura Corporation, believed in the need for an IP firm that could recognize and respond to the daily pressures faced by in-house counsel.

With this vision, his experience handling complex technologies, and a keen awareness of the importance of protecting intellectual property for a company’s business, Michael launched Dilworth IP in 2007.

Dilworth IP continues to reflect Michael’s vision and values – purposefully helping businesses bring their ideas to the world.

Clients count on the firm to respond quickly to concerns, draft sound patent applications and agreements, and provide legal advice that not only inspires them, but gives them the freedom to innovate, develop, and manufacture with confidence.