Michael A. Essien
Michael A. Essien is Special Counsel with Blackwell Burke P.A. practicing in intellectual property law with a focus on patents, trademarks, copyrights, eCommerce and corporate law. Before joining the firm, Michael Essien worked as an intellectual property attorney at Larkin Hoffman and a patent engineer at 3M. Michael Essien is admitted to practice before the U.S. Patents and Trademark Office and concentrates his practice on patent prosecutions and trademark applications, opinions, copyrights, strategic planning, and client counseling regarding intellectual property protection. He also negotiates joint development and technology transfer agreements for his clients. His patent prosecution experience includes the areas of polymer chemistry, materials and process engineering, paints and coatings technologies, biomedical material and DNA handling systems, active agents encapsulation, and vibration dampening material technologies. His trademark practice includes prosecution, enforcement, domain name disputes and resolution (UDRP), and registrations under the Madrid Protocol.
Michael Essien is admitted to practice in the State of Minnesota, and is a member of Ramsey County Bar Association, Hennepin County Bar Association, Minnesota State Bar Association, American Bar Association, American Intellectual Property Law Association, Minnesota Intellectual Property Law Association and the Minnesota Association of Black Lawyers. He was a co-chair of the MIPLA’s Intellectual Property Law Revision & PTO Committee and has presented several seminars on IP Law Rules Revision.
Prior to entering the practice of law, Michael Essien worked for several years as a quality, process and new product development engineer at 3M. He is a named inventor on two issued US patents. He has extensive experience in adhesives, microprismatic and retroreflective film technology for the transportation safety industry, and process engineering.
Michael Essien received his Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma. His J.D. is from William Mitchell College of Law where he was a member of the Law Review. Michael Essien was the recipient of the William Mitchell Alumni Association Student Award of Merit for exceptional contributions to the College.
