G. Peter Nichols

Peter Nichols is the chair of the Prosecution and Transactional Group at Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione, one of the largest intellectual property specialty firms in the country with approximately 170 attorneys. He has been with the firm since 1989 upon his graduation from DePaul University College of Law.

Mr. Nichols' practice currently focuses on patent prosecution, counseling, and opinions concerning infringement and validity in the chemical, chemical engineering, nanotechnology, green technology, and mechanical arts, although he previously focused on litigation matters.

His patent prosecution work includes direct and supervisory responsibility for the preparation and prosecution of United States utility and design applications, foreign and PCT patent applications. Subject matters include bioleaching, chemical processing, cosmetics, cleaners, detergents, food technology, green technology, mineral processing, nutritional supplements, nanosized particle processing, nanotechnology, and power tools. Representative patents and applications are noted below. Mr. Nichols has also been involved in several opposition proceedings before the Australian Patent Office, the Chilean Patent Office, and the European Patent Office.

His counseling experience includes proactive strategic counseling with respect to the development, creation, management, and monetization of patent portfolios.

Mr. Nichols' opinion experience includes conducting infringement and validity evaluations of United States and foreign patents, applications, utility models, and design rights. He has prepared and supervised over one hundred opinions in the last five years. These opinions include freedom to practice (or right to use), invalidity, and patentability.

Prior to his legal career, Mr. Nichols provided technical support services that involved research and development, trouble shooting, and creation of best practices for water treatment and radioactive decontamination of nuclear power plants. In addition, Mr. Nichols was involved in fuel rod integrity testing.

• Leading Intellectual Property Lawyer, Leading Lawyers Network, Law Bulletin Publishing Company, 2004, 2007, 2009

• Richardson-Vicks v. Upjohn, et al., District of Delaware, Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit, 1994 - 1997.  Patent infringement action on an ibuprofen/pseudoephedrine cold remedy. Conducted pretrial preparation on liability issues. Assisted in Federal Circuit Appeal.
• Fort James Corporation v. Kimberly-Clark Tissue Company, Northern District of Illinois, 1998 – 2000.  Trademark, Copyright, Design Patent infringement action on embossed tissue. Handled pretrial preparation on design patent liability.  
• Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company v. Fellowes Manufacturing Company, District of Minnesota,1998 – 2000.  Patent infringement action on gel filled wrist rest. Handled pretrial preparation on liability.

• 7,494,529 (DeKock, et al.), February 24, 2009, "Optimization of Bioleaching Process". Relates to a process to control inorganic and organic compounds in a raffinate solution to levels below that which could be inhibitory to microbial activity of bioleaching strains used in the process.
• 2008/0223176 (du Plessis, et al.), September 18, 2008, "Metal Recovery from a Tank Bioleaching Solution with the Use of Coated Magnetic Particles". Relates to the use of small magnetic particles that are introduced into a solution that is subjected to a bioleaching process. The particles are coated with a substance that has a selective affinity for, and that interacts with, a metal in the solution. The particles are taken from the solution and the metal is recovered from the particles.
• 2008/0173133 (Rorke), July 24, 2008, "Bioleaching Process Control". Relates to a process for bioleaching a sulphide mineral slurry in a reactor that is controlled in response to the measured or inferred oxygen demand of the slurry.
• 2007/0172935 (Bowker, et al.), July 26, 2007, "Tank Bioleaching Process". Relates to a process where carbon is supplied in a non-gaseous form to microbial cells used in the process.
• 2004/0226408 (du Plessis, et al.), November 18, 2004, "Recovery of Bioleaching Microbes". Relates to a process where a slurry produced in a bioleaching plant is subjected to a solid/liquid separation process and the microbial cells are extracted from the resulting liquid.

• 7,485,269 (Roche, et al.) February 3, 2009, "Production of Titania". Relates to a multi stage leach process to produce titania from a titaniferous material.
• 2008/0271571 (Liu, et al.), November 6, 2008, "Process for Leaching Lateritic Ore at Atmospheric Pressure". Relates to an atmospheric leaching process in the recovery of nickel and cobalt from a lateritic ore.
• 2008/0138263 (Liu), June 12, 2008, "Process for Heap Leaching of Nickeliferous Oxidic Ores". Relates to a process for the recovery of nickel and cobalt from a nickeliferous oxidic ore by a heap leaching process that includes the use of a leach solution that includes an acid supplemented hypersaline water as the lixiviant.
• 7,037,357 (Ahern, et al.), May 2, 2006, "Recovery of Metals from Jarosite-Containing Materials". Relates to a method to dissolve at least one metal from jarosite that includes subjecting the material to alkaline treatment in a brine solution to facilitate jarosite decomposition and acidification of the brine slurry to solubilise the liberated metal.
• 6,884,280 (Batty, et al.), April 6, 2005, "Heat Transfer in Heap Leaching of Sulphide Ores". Relates to a method of leaching sulfide mineral concentrates wherein heat generated by bioleaching of sulfide mineral concentrates in at least one reactor is transferred into a heap in which bio-assisted leaching takes place.

• 7,053,151 (Wang, et al.), May 30, 2006, "Grafted Biodegradable Polymer Blend Compositions". Relates to a method of grafting polar groups onto biodegradable polymers and modified biodegradable polymer compositions produced by the method. The polymer compositions are useful as components in flushable and degradable articles
• 7,012,116 (Schertz, et al.), March 14, 2006, "Blend Compositions of an Unmodified Polyvinyl Alcohol and a Thermoplastic Elastomer". Relates to blend compositions of an unmodified poly vinyl alcohol and a thermoplastic elastomer and thermoplastic film and fiber structures comprising these blend compositions.
• 6,953,622 (Tsai, et al.), October 11, 2005, "Biodegradable Bicomponent Fibers with Improved Thermal-Dimensional Stability". Relates to a bicomponent binder fiber comprising a first component containing a blend of an aliphatic polyester material and a multicarboxylic acid, and a second component of a polylactide polymer in a side-by-side configuration.
• 6,753,020 (Mayne), June 22, 2004, "Composition Containing Oat Extract for Increased Cell Renewal Rate". Relates to a method of enhancing the rate of skin desquamation by incorporating an oat extract into a cosmetic composition.
• 6,534,462 (Hamilton, et al.), March 18, 2003, "Liquid Laundry Detergent and Pretreatment Composition".

• 7,407,690 (Prochazka, et al.), August 5, 2008, "Process for Surface Modifications of TiO2 Particles and Other Ceramic Materials". Relates to a process for making nano-sized ceramic materials with a modified surface.
• 6,982,073 (Sabacky, et al.), January 3, 2006, "Process for Making Nano-Sized Stabilized Zirconia". Relates to a process for producing nano-sized stabilized zirconium dioxide.
• 6,974,566 (Sabacky, et al.), December 13, 2005, "Method for Producing Mixed Metal Oxides and Metal
• 6,548,039 (Duyvesteyn, et al.), April 15, 2003, "Processing Aqueous Titanium Solutions to Titanium Dioxide Pigment.
• 6,440,383 (Duyvesteyn, et al.), August 27, 2002, "Processing Aqueous Titanium Chloride Solutions to Ultrafine Titanium Dioxide".

• 7,108,869 (Murray, et al.), September 19, 2006, "Nutritional Supplement Containing Alpha-glucosidase and Alpha-amylase Inhibitors". Relates to a method of limiting the absorption of carbohydrates contained in a foodstuff and to a method of promoting weight loss by administering the nutritional supplement.
• 6,265,005 (Haverkos, et al.), July 24, 2001, "Coating Composition for Foods and Method of Improving Texture of Cooked Foods".
• 6,086,928 (Stevens, et al.), July 11, 2000, "Whitened Food Products and Process for Producing the Same".

• 6,890,510 (Spitler, et al.), May 10, 2005, "Process for Making Lithium Titanate". Relates to a process for making nano-sized particles of lithium titanate that can be used for electrode material in lithium ion batteries.
• 6,689,716 (Sabacky), February 10, 2004, "Method for Producing Catalyst Structures". A process for making microporous structures that can be used for fuel cells, sensors, electrochemical cells and the like.

• 7,322,116 (Long, et al.), January 29, 2008, "Laser Leveling Device Having a Suction Mounting Arrangement". Relates to devices that project laser lines and mount to a surface such as a wall.
• 7,217,069 (Dils, et al.), May 15, 2007, "Hand-held Tool With a Removable Object Sensor". Relates to hand tools having a removable object sensor that can be used to detect hidden studs.
• 7,128,324 (Yang, et al.), October 31, 2006, "Hammerlock Chuck". Relates to a chuck for hammer drilling.
• 6,995,549 (Brazell, et al.), October 18, 2005, "Slide Type Battery Ejection Mechanism". Relates to a battery housing and an ejection mechanism for releasing the battery housing from an electrical device housing.
• 6,770,025 (Zunker) August 3, 2004, "Molar Shaped Vaginal Incontinence Insert".

• "Korea as International Searching Authority Under the PCT," co-author with Marcus Paul Dolce, Intellectual Property Owners Association Newsletter, May 2009

• “The Pros and Cons of Utility Models: An International Overview,” speaker, Intellectual Property Owners Association’s one-hour webinar, February 18, 2010

• American Intellectual Property Law Association
• Chicago Bar Association
• Federal Circuit Bar Association
  Chair, Hutchinson Writing Contest Committee, 1999-2003
• Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago
• Intellectual Property Owners Association
  International Law Practice Committee

• Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione Opens New Office in Washington, D.C.

• Crain's A.M. People in the News