Professionals
Technology Areas
- Chemical Engineering
- Chemistry
- Food Science
- Polymer & Materials Science
- Semiconductor Devices & Processing Methods
Practice Areas
Admissions
- State of Connecticut, 1999
- State of California, 1975
- U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, 1973
Education
Georgetown Law Center, J.D., 1972
University of New Haven, MBA., 1987
Michigan State University, B.S., Chemical Engineering, 1968
William Simons engages in patent preparation, prosecution, counseling, and opinion work in a variety of chemical and chemical engineering technologies. Bill has more than four decades of experience in patent law and other intellectual property (IP) law areas, beginning as a Patent Examiner at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in the food arts and later as in-house patent counsel at Olin Corporation, 3D Systems Corporation, and NexPlanar Corporation, a high-tech start-up. While a partner at general practice firm Wiggin and Dana, Bill founded and chaired the Patent Practice Group. During this time, he prepared and prosecuted thousands of patent applications. Examples of areas in which Bill has drafted and prosecuted patents and prepared opinions include chlor/alkali processing; water treatment chemicals; photoresists and other photo chemistry applications; chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) pads and other semiconductor chemicals and processes; printed wire board chemicals and many other electronic chemistry applications; 3D printing and other rapid phototyping/manufacturing processes; agricultural chemicals; polyurethane and other polymer compositions; rocket fuels; and anti-dandruff agents.
Bill has also recently lectured on IP law at Manchester Community College, where he was able to implement his past experience as a Patent Examiner and create an interactive lecture that has made him a favorite instructor. Bill, while a Patent Examiner, examined one of the first patents for Pringles (R) crisps. He gave his students packages of Pringles (R) to examine while he explains the concepts of patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets through this product and its packaging while his students enjoyed the result of a successfully patented product.
Experience Highlights
Counsel, Cantor Colburn LLP, Hartford, CT, 2010-present
Patent Counsel, NexPlanar Corporation, Hillsboro, OR, 2008-2010
Assistant General Counsel, 3D Systems Corporation, Rock Hills, SC, 2006-2008
Wiggin & Dana, New Haven, CT
- Partner, 1997-2005
- Counsel, 1993-1996
Senior Patent Counsel, Olin Corporation, Cheshire and New Haven, CT, 1976-1993
Patent Attorney, Beckman Instruments, Fullerton, CA, 1974-1975
Patent Attorney, Chernoff and Vilhauer, Portland, OR, 1973-1974
Patent Examiner, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Arlington, VA, 1968-1973
News
- Risk Management MagazineMarch 2, 2015
Counsel Bill Simons is quoted in the March 2015 issue of Risk Management magazine. In the article, "Manufacturing in 3D: Will 3D Printing Revolutionize Modern Industry?" Simons discusses 3D printing's impact on manufacturing and IP. He co-chairs the firm's Additive Manufacturing Practice Group.
- Connecticut Law TribuneApril 15, 2013
Bill Simons' article explores how 3-D technology could revolutionize design and production, and touches on a host of intellectual property issues, including utility and design patents, trademarks and copyrights, trade secrets, and IP agreements.
Events
- April 17, 2014University of Connecticut, Storrs
Cantor Colburn attorneys William Cass and William Simons will speak at the Metal Additive Manufacturing Workshop at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut on Thursday, April 17, 2014 from 9-1. Cass and Simons Co-Chair Cantor Colburn's Additive Manufacturing Practice Group. The workshop will cover the current status and upcoming trends on technical, legal, and economic issues of metals additive manufacturing. For more information, contact UConn School of Engineering.
- April 9, 2014
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will host an Additive Manufacturing Partnership Meeting on Wednesday, April 9, 2014 at the USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, to be attended by the Co-Chairs of the Additive Manufacturing Practice Group at Cantor Colburn, William Cass and William Simons. Howard Levy, Counsel and a member of the practice group, is also attending. Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, is a process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital model. The technology is growing in use, including in such fields as jewelry, footwear, architecture, engineering and construction, automotive, aerospace, dental and medical industries.
The meeting will serve as a forum for sharing ideas, experiences, and insights between stakeholders and the USPTO. Industry representatives will also provide an overview of the application of additive manufacturing in different technologies. Individual opinions are sought from varying participants, and the meetings are intended to be informal in nature. These partnership groups are formed with full recognition of the USPTO’s responsibility under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), and are not established as FACA compliant committees.
Professional Affiliations
American Intellectual Property Law Association
Connecticut Bar Association
California Bar Association
Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO)
