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Thomas J. Durling

Shareholder

Thomas J. Durling is a shareholder in Flaster/Greenberg’s Intellectual Property Practice Group. He has more than 25 years experience handling intellectual property issues, with a focus on patent procurement, due diligence, intellectual property litigation and client counseling.

A registered patent attorney, Mr. Durling concentrates his practice in the mechanical engineering field, with a principle technical focus in large industrial equipment, flow measuring equipment, mobility vehicles, industrial and consumer packaging, molded plastic components, medical devices, printing equipment and wastewater treatment. Mr. Durling helps clients prepare and prosecute patent applications; performs patent infringement analysis, validity studies and right to use studies; and negotiates and prepares licenses for clients across a wide range of industries and applications.

Mr. Durling represents clients in patent matters before the United States Patent and Trademark Office, as well as manages their international portfolios and intellectual property-related litigation. He also has experience counseling clients on copyright, trademark, trade secret and unfair competition issues. In addition, he has litigation experience at both the trial level and before the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Prior to joining Flaster/Greenberg, Mr. Durling was a partner at DLA Piper (US) LLP. He was also previously a shareholder with Seidel, Gonda, Lavorgna & Monaco, PC and a partner at Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP. 

Reported Decisions

  • Golden Valley Microwave Foods Inc. v. Weaver Popcorn Co. Inc., 24 U.S.P.Q.2d 1801 (N.D. Ind. 1992), aff’d, 11F.3d 1072; (Fed. Cir. 1993) (w/o opinion), cert. denied, 511 U.S. 1128 (1994)
  • Farberware Inc. v. Alternative Pioneering Systems, Inc., 19 U.S.P.Q.2d 1079 (S.D.N.Y. 1991): 28 U.S.P.Q.2d 1879 (S.D.N.Y. 1993)
  • New Jersey Mach. Inc. v. Alford Industries, Inc., 21 U.S.P.Q.2d 2033 (D.N.J. 1994); aff’d, 983 F.2d 1087 (Fed. Cir. 1990) (w/o opinion)
  • Diamond-Chase Co. v. Stretch Devices Inc., 16 U.S.P.Q.2d 1568 (C.D.Cal.); aff’d, 923 F.2d 871 (Fed. Cir. 1990) (w/o opinion)
  • Micro Motion, Inc. v. Kane Steel Co., Inc., 849 F.2d 1318 (Fed. Cir. 1990)
  • Pennwalt Corp. v. Bird Inc., 5 U.S. P.Q. 2d 1817 (D. Mass. 1987)

Honors & Awards

  • Rated AV® Preeminent™ by Martindale-Hubbell

Professional Affiliations

  • American Bar Association
    • Section on Intellectual Property
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association
  • Federal Circuit Bar Association
  • Philadelphia Intellectual Property Law Association

Community Activities

  • St. Alphonsus Catholic Youth Sports Organization
    • Past president
Every Client Matters®

Practice Areas

Industry Groups

Admissions

Education

  • Widener University School of Law, J.D., 1983
  • Villanova University, B.S., Mechanical Engineering, 1980
    • Pi Tau Sigma (National Mechanical Engineering Honor Fraternity)