William G. Pagán – IP Law Attorneys | Coats + Bennett, PLLC | North Carolina

William G. Pagán is an award-winning patent attorney, a member of the NC State University Computer Science Alumni Hall of Fame, an IBM Master Inventor named on over 130 U.S. patent applications, and an Adjunct Law Professor at NC Central University School of Law, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude (highest honors) from the evening program as co-valedictorian.

Will's practice focuses on assisting clients with legal issues in which a deep understanding of information technology is necessary or advantageous. He currently has a significant focus on helping creators obtain patents, trademarks, and copyrights. That said, he also helps clients assert or defend against patent, trademark, and copyright infringement, resolves contract disputes, and facilitates B2B transactions. As a Certified Information Privacy Professional/United States (CIPP/US), Will also helps clients with data privacy concerns, e.g., data breaches and confidentiality violations.

Nationally-recognized as a Luminary in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) disciplines at the Hispanic Engineering National Achievement Awards Conference, Will's law practice is informed by 14 years of engineering experience at IBM, including over a decade developing software for IBM's server development business. His work on Intel-based Thurley server platforms earned him IBM's Outstanding Technical Achievement Award. He also served in IBM’s IP Licensing and Assignments organization where he researched, investigated, and produced proofs of potential patent infringement.

In service to the community, he currently serves as a Deputy Regional President for Region VI of the Hispanic National Bar Association and teaches Contract Law to evening students at NC Central University School of Law.

SELECTED HONORS

LEGAL

The Best Lawyers in America: Intellectual Property Litigation, Best Lawyers, 2024, 2025
NC Rising Star: Intellectual Property, Super Lawyers, 2019-2024
Major General Dwight H Wheless Legal Officer of the Year, Civil Air Patrol: United States Air Force Auxiliary
- North Carolina Wing, 2019, 2020
- Mid-Atlantic Region (incl. DE, MD, DC, NC, SC, VA, WV), 2019
NC Pro Bono Honor Society, North Carolina Pro Bono Resource Center, 2017-2020
Outstanding Pro Bono Achievement, North Carolina Bar Association IP Law Section, 2019
Leaders in the Law, North Carolina Lawyers Weekly, 2016, 2018

ENGINEERING

37 Invention Plateau Awards, IBM, 2005-2012
Master Inventor, IBM Corporate Headquarters / Office of the CIO, 2011
Research Triangle Park Inventor of the Year, IBM, 2010
Outstanding Technical Achievement: Intel Thurley Server Platform Integration, IBM, 2007
Master Inventor, IBM Systems & Technology Group, 2006
Role Model of the Week, Hispanic Engineering National Achievement Awards Conference, 2008
Luminary Award, Hispanic Engineering National Achievement Awards Conference, 2007
Star Award, Distributed Management Task Force, 2007

CIVIC

Wing Commander’s Commendation, Civil Air Patrol: United States Air Force Auxiliary, 2016, 2017, 2021
Crisis Service Award, Civil Air Patrol: United States Air Force Auxiliary, 2020
Meritorious Service Award, Civil Air Patrol: United States Air Force Auxiliary, 2019
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award, United States Air Force, 2018

EXAMPLE PATENT WORK PRODUCT

U.S. Patent No. 11,959,746: Active Centering Control of a Gyroscope
U.S. Patent No. 11,287,325: Electrically Controlling the Field of View of a Passive Infrared Sensor
U.S. Patent No. 11,052,205: Devices and Methods for Delivering Fluid to a Nasal Cavity
U.S. Patent No. 10,720,379: Robust Integrated Circuit Package
U.S. Patent No. 9,864,568: Sound Generation for Monitoring User Interfaces
U.S. Patent No. 9,189,218: Processing Packets by Generating Machine Code from Pre-Compiled Code Fragments

REPRESENTATIVE CASES

Negotiated a dismissal of all counterclaims against client in a patent infringement case.
Served as local NC counsel in defending against patent infringement claims.
Defended against, or negotiated settlements in response to, demand letters alleging copyright infringement.
Defended website owners against alleged Meta Pixel privacy violations.
Drafted a contract and, subsequently, a settlement agreement in favor of a client due to breach of that contract.
Resolved a contract dispute between a franchisor and franchisee to client's satisfaction.
Negotiated resolution to an unfair and deceptive trade practices issue between local competing businesses.
Appealed subject matter ineligibility and obviousness decisions made by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board under 35 U.S.C. § 101 and § 103 to the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals.

EDUCATION

North Carolina Central University School of Law, Durham, North Carolina
- Juris Doctor, Summa Cum Laude
- Evening Program Valedictorian
- Top Forty Under Forty Alumni Award
North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
- Master of Computer Science
- Computer Science Alumni Hall of Fame
Pace University, New York, New York
- B.S., Computer Science
Bronx High School of Science, Bronx, New York
- Advanced Regents Diploma, Biology Concentration

OTHER PROFESSIONAL ROLES

North Carolina Central University School of Law
- Adjunct Professor, Contracts, Evening Program, 2023-Present
IBM
- Patent Engineer/Analyst, IP Licensing & Assignments, Corporate Headquarters, 2011-2013
- Master Inventor, Corporate Headquarters / Office of the CIO, 2011-2013
- Master Inventor, Systems & Technology Group, 2006-2013
- Software Engineer, System x Server Development, Systems & Technology Group, 1999-2011
Distributed Management Task Force
- Chairman & IBM Representative, SMASH / Systems Management Forum, 2005-2007

PRO BONO & VOLUNTEER ROLES

Hispanic National Bar Association
- Region VI Deputy Regional President, 2022-Present
North Carolina Central University School of Law, Board of Visitors
- Chair, 2023-Present
- Vice Chair, 2022-2023
- Member at Large, 2020-2022
Civil Air Patrol, United States Air Force Auxiliary
- NCWG Diversity Officer, 2019-2022
- NCWG Legal Officer, 2017-2021
- NCWG Assistant Legal Officer, 2015-2017, 2021-2022
Innocence Project
- Case Manager, 2011-2012
- Researcher, 2010-2011

SELECTED MEDIA/SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

Panelist, Responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI), Privacy and the Cost of Invisibility of the Global Majority, 2024 Law & Technology Summit, NCCU Technology & Law Policy Center, October 2024
Speaker, Impact of the Proliferation of AI on Prior Art and PHOSITA, USPTO Listening Session, United States Patent and Trademark Office, July 25, 2024
Panelist, The Impact of Data Privacy & Security on Society and the Practice of Law, Annual HBCU IP & Tech Law Summit, Institute for Intellectual Property & Social Justice, February 2024
Special Guest, Ty Cohen & Caroline Treanor (Hosts), The Money Morning Meetup, Oct. 25, 2023
Special Guest, Thomas Clifton (Host), The Talented Tenth Podcast, Oct. 3, 2023
Panelist, The Patent Implications of Generative AI, 2023 Law and Technology Summit, NCCU Technology & Policy Law Center, October 2023
Guest Lecturer, Inventions and Innovations Class, Henrico County Public Schools, VA, January 2022
Guest Lecturer, Subject Matter Eligibility (Abstract Ideas), Patent Law Course, University of North Carolina School of Law, Fall 2020
Keynote Speaker, NC State Computer Science Diploma Ceremony, Fall 2018
Lecturer, Intellectual Property: Securing a Competitive Advantage in the Marketplace, North Carolina Society of Hispanic Professionals, 2017
Special Guest, Cup of Technology, WCOM-LP 103.5 FM, 2017
CLE Teacher, Patent Subject Matter Eligibility: Arguing Against Abstract Idea Rejections, The Knowledge Group, 2016
Panelist, IP Law Panel Discussion, NCCU School of Law, 2015
Featured Alum, Taking Flight: Meet William Pagán, NCCU, 2014
Speaker, Valedictory Address, NCCU School of Law Commencement Ceremony, Spring 2014
Featured Lecturer, Effective Leadership of Invention Brainstorming, IBM, 2011 to 2013
Featured Lecturer, Being a Successful Inventor: Practical Advice for All Levels of Inventors, IBM, 2007 to 2013
Featured Lecturer, Efficiently Writing Effective Patent Disclosures, IBM, 2007 to 2013
Lecturer, Getting Agile in the Real World: Best Practice Adoption in Complex Environments, IBM Webcast, 2010
Lecturer, Key Leadership and Advancement Behaviors, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers Region VII Conference, 2009
Lecturer, Best Practices in Standards Participation, IBM, 2008
Host, Leadership in the Management and Technical Executive Tracks, Hispanic Engineering National Achievement Awards Conference, 2007
Booth Presenter, IBM Systems Management Technologies and Importance of Interoperability Standards, Microsoft Management Summit, 2006
Presenter, SMASH Forum Overview and SMASH CLP Validation, DMTF Management Developers Conference, 2006
Presenter, Eliminating Systems Management Device Drivers via Enhanced Serial Port Architecture, IBM Tech Connect, 2004

William G. Pagán to Speak on Responsible AI at Law & Technology Summit

COATS & BENNETT, PLLC October 11, 2024

Attorney William G. Pagán is scheduled to speak at the 2024 Law and Technology Summit organized by the North Carolina Central University’s Technology Law and Policy Center.

Attorney William G. Pagán Joins NCCU School of Law Faculty

COATS & BENNETT, PLLC August 15, 2024

Coats & Bennett is proud to announce that one of its owners, Attorney William G. Pagán, has joined the faculty at NC Central University School of Law as

Attorney William G. Pagán’s Remarks to the USPTO on Artificial Intelligence

WILLIAM PAGÁN July 25, 2024

Today, I spoke at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to discuss the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on prior art and the

Attorney William G. Pagán to Speak at USPTO on Artificial Intelligence

COATS & BENNETT, PLLC July 23, 2024

Attorney William G. Pagán has been selected to speak at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on Thursday, July 25, 2024 to discuss

C&B Tops IP Law Category of NC Legal Elite 2024 Awards

WILLIAM PAGÁN April 1, 2024

Career C&B attorney John Owen has been recognized by Business North Carolina magazine as the top Intellectual Property attorney in North Carolina for the year

Attorney William G. Pagán to Speak at HBCU IP & Technology Law Summit

COATS & BENNETT, PLLC February 27, 2024

Attorney William G. Pagán is scheduled to speak at the Annual Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCU) Intellectual Property (IP) & Technology Law Summit this

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