Erol Basol focuses his practice on all aspects of patent prosecution and counseling. Erol has experience in many patent-focused areas, including: drafting and prosecuting patent applications in the electrical, mechanical, and software arts; USPTO post-grant proceedings including inter partes review and reexaminations; patent portfolio management and strategy; and IP strategy evaluation, formulation, and fortification. Erol has particular experience successfully navigating subject matter eligibility challenges at the USPTO—in areas such as algorithms and software—and his practice includes developing strategies and prosecuting patent applications in cross-over fields where software meets other arts, such as business, energy, genomics, and others. Other areas that Erol has experience in include autonomous vehicles, computer vision, chemistry, drones, computer/device hardware and software, gaming, materials, memory, networks, semiconductor fabrication, solar, user interfaces and 3D printing.
Prior to co-founding the firm, Erol was Of Counsel at Morrison & Foerster where he worked for seven years. Prior to that, he worked as an engineer in the semiconductor processing industry, and as a Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) consultant. He also served as an extern for the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit.
Phone: 213-408-0792
Email: ebasol@kuba-law.com
Calvin Choy is a Patent Agent at Kubota & Basol LLP with a background in radio frequency electronics and software engineering. In his previous work as a product and test engineer at Broadcom, he worked primarily on characterization and design of mobile handset front-end modules, and obtained experience on all aspects of semiconductor back-end processing and testing. Calvin ensured smooth production ramps of products that were later designed into flagship products of global smartphone leaders. Calvin also has experience with writing test instrumentation software and building data pipelines for statistical analyses. In previous roles at small startups, he developed automated web tests for over-the-air TV applications.
Calvin received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo.
Phone: 213-462-2612
Email: cchoy@kuba-law.com
Rahjima Francia is a former software engineer with experience in U.S. and international patent prosecution, patent application preparation, and patent portfolio strategy. Prior to joining K&B, Rahjima was a patent agent at an international global law firm, where she gained extensive experience in drafting and prosecuting patent applications in subject matter areas such as computer software, machine learning, mobile applications, telecommunications, encryption, and authentication. Rahjima has also been recognized for her pro bono work and commitment to providing pro bono assistance to indigent inventors.
Prior to becoming a patent agent, Rahjima was an IT systems analyst at one of the largest investment management companies. Her experience focused on providing strategic direction for deadline-sensitive projects in a highly regulated industry. Prior to becoming an IT systems analyst, Rahjima worked as a software engineer implementing financial systems technology. Rahjima has a B.S. in Computer Science and a minor in Mathematics from Jacksonville State University. Rahjima is registered to practice before the USPTO.
Phone: 213-462-2618
Email: rfrancia@kuba-law.com
Twinkle is experienced in patent drafting, prosecution, and clearance studies. Her areas of technical expertise include cloud-based software, electronic displays, wireless communication, medical devices, imaging systems, control and automation systems, and a wide variety of other electrical and mechanical arts.
She graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering and a minor in Business. During her time at UT, Twinkle worked in a microfluidics research lab, creating lab-on-a-chip devices. She also participated in a biomaterials internship related to 3D bioprinting human lungs. Prior to joining Kubota and Basol LLP, she worked in intellectual property law in Houston, TX.
In her free time, Twinkle enjoys swimming, hiking, and visiting museums.
Phone: 213-297-1178
Email: ttharwala@kuba-law.com
Glenn Kubota is a co-founder of K&B and brings over 12 years of expertise as a BigLaw partner and over 22 years of patent prosecution experience to K&B. Glenn specializes in patent prosecution, client counseling and due diligence for high-technology clients, including one of the world's most respected and innovative consumer electronics companies. Prior to becoming a patent attorney, Glenn was an electrical engineer and technical supervisor in the aerospace, defense, and space industry. He has a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, a Master's degree in Computer Engineering, and a law degree from Loyola Law School.
Phone: 213-408-0791
Email: gkubota@kuba-law.com
Samuel Guerra is a Patent Agent at Kubota & Basol LLP and regularly prepares new patent applications, responds to office actions, conducts patentability analyses, and analyzes client portfolios. Samuel also handles pre-appeals and appeals before the U.S. Patent Trials and Appeals Board (PTAB). Samuel’s practice extends across a broad array of technologies, including consumer electronics hardware, mobile and non-mobile user interfaces, autonomous and non-autonomous rovers, and transportation systems.
Samuel joined the firm in 2021 from an IP boutique firm in Orange County, CA, where he aided small companies and inventors in protecting their technologies across a wide range of electrical, optical, software, and mechanical arts, including fiber optic communications and integrated silicon photonics technologies. Samuel received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering with a Minor in Physics from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
Samuel is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Phone: 213-462-2614
Email: sguerra@kuba-law.com
Jennifer White is a patent agent at Kubota & Basol. She has extensive experience drafting and prosecuting patent applications across a wide range of technologies, including smartphone user interfaces, semiconductor memory devices, wireless telecommunication protocols, and computer-animation rendering algorithms. She has contributed to claim charts for identification of standards-essential patents and to claim construction analyses for post-grant proceedings.
Before becoming a patent agent, Jennifer worked as an engineering writer and analyst. She wrote multiple successful research proposals for engineering researchers from small startups and large universities, winning grants ranging from tens of thousands of dollars to nearly $30M. She has written and edited dozens of technical articles related to digital signal processors, and her master’s thesis on control systems for platoons of autonomous vehicles was published in a peer-reviewed journal. She has also worked as a digital hardware engineer, helping to design avionics boards for the F-22 “Raptor.”
Jennifer received her B.S. and M.S. degrees in electrical engineering from UCLA. She is registered to practice before the USPTO.
Phone: 213-297-1410
Email: jwhite@kuba-law.com
Drew DeRubeis is a patent agent with experience in patent prosecution and patent portfolio management. Prior to joining Kubota & Basol, Drew worked in-house managing a patent portfolio for a passenger car manufacturer and led all North American patent prosecution activities for a commercial vehicle manufacturer. Drew has worked with inventors on a variety of automotive technologies, including electric and ICE powertrain systems, high voltage batteries, battery charging systems, aerodynamics, aftertreatment systems and mechanical technologies. Drew has experience developing strategy for patent portfolio development and working collaboratively with business partners and stakeholders. He also has experience in freedom to operate analysis and developing IP related terms in a variety of commercial agreements.
Drew received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Law & Technology from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Based in Portland, Oregon, Drew is the Treasurer and a member of the Board of Directors of the Oregon Patent Law Association. Drew is registered to practice before the USPTO.
Email:dderubeis@kuba-law.com
Phone: 213-462-2611
Shouvik Biswas’ practice is focused on patent preparation and prosecution in the United States and foreign jurisdictions, strategic IP counseling and portfolio management, and adversarial proceedings before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Shouvik has handled matters in all stages of prosecution, including invention disclosures, new application drafting, office action responses, and patent appeals. He has drafted and prosecuted patents in numerous technology markets, including consumer electronics, wireless technologies, database software, semiconductor devices, automotive devices, and memory technologies.
Shouvik has also litigated patents in the U.S. District Courts, International Trade Commission,
and the USPTPO’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board. He also has extensive experience in patent
due diligence transactions, representing both acquirors and acquirees in transactions involving patents. Shouvik brings these experiences to bear when advising clients on building strategic patent portfolios and in his prosecution work.
Prior to his legal career, Shouvik worked as a Satellite Communications System Engineer at
Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. As an engineer, Shouvik developed a breadth of
experience in an array of technologies, including digital, RF, and optical signal processing,
antenna architectures and design, and analog devices.
Shouvik received his M.S. in electrical engineering from the University of Southern California
Viterbi School of Engineering and his B.S. in electrical engineering from Purdue University. He
received his J.D. from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law.
Phone: 213-297-1424
Email: sbiswas@kuba-law.com
Avery’s practice includes patent drafting and prosecution. He has experience drafting and prosecuting patent applications in electrical, mechanical, and software arts, especially with user interfaces, software, integrated circuit devices, memory, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), augmented reality / virtual reality (AR / VR) systems, industrial controls and automation, medical devices, insurance, imaging systems, and consumer devices. Prior to joining K&B, Avery worked for a midsized patent firm located in Houston, TX.
Avery received his Bachelor of Arts in Physics from Rice University in Houston, TX and his Master of Arts in Theology and Mission at the Akrofi-Christaller Institute of Theology, Mission, and Culture (ACI) in Ghana. At Rice, Avery investigated the utility of Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs) for increasing security for Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices. At ACI, Avery explored salient themes in African Christianity and Black American Christianity.
Avery is registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Phone: 213-462-2617
Email: ajohnson@kuba-law.com
Kelly is a former mechanical engineer with experience in U.S. patent prosecution and patent application preparation. Prior to joining K&B, Kelly was a technical specialist at a boutique patent law firm where she gained extensive experience in drafting and prosecuting patent applications in subject matter areas such as electric vehicles, mechanical devices, manufacturing processes, machine learning, encryption and authentication, and blockchain.
Prior to becoming a technical specialist, Kelly was an systems engineer at a major defense company working on defining and verifying requirements for a new satellite program. Kelly also worked as a stress analysis intern for said company, analyzing additive manufactured parts. Kelly has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Mechanical Design from Rice University. In her free time, Kelly enjoys climbing, backpacking, and skiing.
Email: kliang@kuba-law.com
Julia is a Patent Illustrator and one of the latest additions to the firm. Prior to her role at K&B, Julia held positions in start-up company design and implementation, NFT creation, graphic design, art gallery management and set up, museum consulting, and freelance art. Julia brings knowledge and experience in technical drawing, the use of line, shape, and perspective for the creation of detailed illustrations, and the study of composition and structure necessary for formal elements in art execution. Julia has studied design in Italy and has exhibited her art in Los Angeles, New Orleans, and Miami.
Julia attended the University of Southern California as a Presidential Scholar and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a focus on design.
Phone: (213) 462-2622
Email: jwhitlow@kuba-law.com
Jonathan Statman has leveraged his extensive training in analog and digital circuits at Caltech and UCLA to effectively help his clients secure and protect their patent rights and develop their patent portfolios. He has extensive experience in drafting and prosecuting patent applications in the United States and internationally, where he represents clients involved in a variety of electronics, software and mechanical technologies. He also has broad experience with practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
In particular, Mr. Statman has experience with analog and digital circuits, programmable logic devices and field programmable gate arrays, memory systems, autonomous driving software and sensors, drones, touch sensors, proximity sensors, force sensors, human-machine interfaces, user interfaces, touch screens, display screens, input devices, signal processing algorithms, image processing, audio processing, medical sensors, and information systems.
Mr. Statman has drafted and/or prosecuted hundreds of U.S. and foreign applications directed to touch screens, sensors and user interfaces. He has worked closely with clients in developing patent focused strategies and managing complex patent portfolios.
Mr. Statman’s inter partes review (IPR) and post-grant practice includes in-depth legal research, data analytics, prior art analysis, working with experts, and drafting briefing. By way of example, a representative completed post-grant matter is IPR2017-00730, for which Mr. Statman successfully represented patent owner in an IPR that resulted in the USPTO denying the petition to institute the IPR. Mr. Statman also successfully argued a number of ex parte appeals before the USPTO.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Statman worked as a patent attorney at Morrison & Foerster LLP. Additionally, Mr. Statman worked as a hardware engineer designing controllers and peripheral devices for IEEE-1149.1-compatible boundary scan and in-system memory programming.
Mr. Statman is an active member of the Los Angeles Intellectual Property Law Association (LAIPLA) and was a member of The Judge Paul R. Michel Intellectual Property American Inn of Court. He is also a member of the engineering honor society, Tau Beta Pi.
Mr. Statman received his J.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law, his M.S. in electrical engineering from the California Institute of Technology, and his B.S. magna cum laude in electrical engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Mr. Statman is admitted to practice in California and is registered to practice before the USPTO.
Publications:
Gaming the System: Invalidating Patents in Reexamination After Final Judgments In Litigation
UCLA Journal of Law & Technology
Spring 2015
Events:
Comparing Subject Matter Eligibility in the USPTO and EPO
LAIPLA’s 2018 Washington In the West Conference
01/25/2018
Phone: 213-408-0794
Email: jstatman@kuba-law.com
Sarah Stevens is a senior patent agent whose practice focuses on prosecuting U.S. and non-U.S. patent applications in a broad array of technologies, including consumer electronics hardware, mobile and non-mobile user interfaces, automotive accessories, autonomous vehicles, and engine parts. Ms. Stevens regularly prepares new applications, responds to office actions, and handles appeals at the U.S. Patent Trials and Appeals Board (PTAB). She also has experience analyzing portfolios for corporate due diligence projects and conducting freedom-to-operate and patentability analyses for technology companies.
Ms. Stevens received her B.S. in engineering from Harvey Mudd College, graduating with distinction. As part of her studies, Ms. Stevens designed and debugged analog electronic systems, designed and built an electronic sensor package for a rocket, and completed coding projects in languages including C++, Matlab, Python, and Java. Ms. Stevens also has experience in user interface design and development, including front-end web design and development and mobile application design.
Ms. Stevens is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Phone: 213-408-0796
Email: sstevens@kuba-law.com
Kian is a Patent Agent at Kubota & Basol LLP from the Chicago area with experience in patent prosecution and a background in Engineering, Physics, and Biology. Prior to joining the firm, he worked as a patent engineer conducting patent searches and delivering patentability assessments for a variety of technology areas, including medical devices and imaging, loT, machine learning, robotics, electric vehicles, AR/VR, optics and photonics, power reactors, wireless communications, computer networks, vehicle electronics hardware, unmanned aerial systems, and waste management systems.
During his college career, Kian embraced an adventurous attitude and explored different engineering and science disciplines while staying active in research and development endeavors. He has research experience in artificial intelligence models, including automated segmentation of the heart from cardiac MRI images and efficient sorting methods for noisy datasets of CGM measurements. His work in this field led him to translate the laboratory's digital infrastructure into curricular modules for local K-12 students, which was considered for the 2020 Change@illinoisTech incubator challenge. He also led the design and development of innovative gloves that amplify grip strength for patients suffering from neuromuscular disorders.
Kian is an alumnus of Illinois Institute of Technology, where he received his Bachelor of Science degrees in Electrical Engineering and Applied Physics, a Master's degree in Biomedical Engineering, and a minor in Pre-Medical Studies.
Phone: 213-462-2619
Email: kmadani@kuba-law.com
