profile headshot of Christopher A. Proskey

Specialties

I'm an engineer, businessman and attorney.  You could say I'm ferociously curious about a lot of things. As co-chair of the Intellectual Property (“IP”) practice group I use this natural curiosity, along with my education and experience, to help my clients solve complex problems, exploit business opportunities and minimize risk. As an engineer I'm able to understand your most-sophisticated technological advancements and the competitive landscape your business operates in. As a businessman I'm able to understand how your business operates and how the actions you take (or don't take) impact your bottom line. And, as an attorney, I'm able to understand the risks, challenges and opportunities that your business faces every day. With this unique perspective, I can help you develop a comprehensive strategy to take your business from where you are today to where you want to be tomorrow.

My Approach

I believe in relationships. It's been my experience that the strongest relationships lead to the best representation. Plus, it's more fun to work that way. While my core-competency is in intellectual property, I tend become a trusted advisor to my clients and become their go-to person for all legal and business-related matters.  I see it as my job to not only provide the deliverables you need today, but to look into the future and anticipate your needs for tomorrow.  The best way to do this is by both of us investing in a mutually beneficial and trusting relationship.  I've had the pleasure of standing next to my clients on their best days, and have been humbled by my client's trust in me on their worst.  It's in these times of extreme that we're both thankful for the relationship we've built together. 

More about me

I've been on your side of the table.  Prior to joining Brown Winick I served as General Counsel of QMotion Incorporated, a growing international technology company.  As General Counsel I helped guide the company through growth and all the challenges that come with it.  I developed and managed a portfolio of hundreds of U.S. and foreign patents and trademarks and managed a network of domestic and international licensing agreements.  As General Counsel, I also helped lead the successful acquisition of the business by a publicly traded international conglomerate.  I know what's it's like to run a business.  I know what it's like to receive legal services.  And, I know what it's like to pay legal bills.  These are experiences that have forever shaped how I serve my clients.

I'm originally from Long Island, New York.  I'm on my second tour of duty here in Iowa.  I came to Iowa the first time to attend Iowa State University (“ISU”) where I graduated with an B.S. in Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering (“IMSE”).  I worked as engineer in the semiconductor and nanotechnology industry at Seagate Technology where I designed manufacturing systems for hard drives.  While at Seagate, I attended the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management where I received an M.B.A., with studies focused on strategy, finance, entrepreneurship and management.  I returned for my second tour of duty in Iowa when I received an Opperman full-tuition scholarship to attend Drake University Law School, where I graduated with honors.  Now, my roots literally run-deep in Iowa as my wife and I are involved in my wife's family farming operation in North-Central Iowa.

In addition to all of that, I'm a board member/advisor for a number of for-profit companies, as well as being a board member for a number of non-profit organizations. 

My Specialties

  • Intellectual Property
  • Patents
  • Trademarks
  • Copyrights
  • Intellectual Property Litigation
  • Business and Corporate
  • Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Technology
  • Manufacturing
  • AgTech
  • StartUp

Issued Patents

  • D875,204 - Glow in the dark jig fishing lure with a slot that receives a glow in the dark cartridge
  • 10,550,637 - Obstruction detection system for motorized window shades and method of use
  • 10,534,017 - Quick change small footprint testing system and method of use
  • D871,880 - Shelf pin hole jig
  • 10,552,024 - Safety device, system and method of use
  • 10,463,132 - Makeup case
  • 10,421,526 - Yacht preserver
  • D859,973 - Thread repair insert with teeth
  • 10,407,935 - Double end stud bolt and method of use
  • 10,405,684 - Motorized drapery apparatus, system and method of use
  • 10,400,476 - Cross connecting locking apparatus
  • 10,375,876 - Variable rate air seeding system for soybeans
  • 10,362,721 - Tillage device for agricultural machinery or implements to reduce compaction caused by wheels in a field
  • 10,357,087 - Umbrella system
  • 10,337,551 - Thread repair insert and method of use
  • 10,328,498 - Infinity joint jig, plug, and method of use
  • D849,880 - Glow in the dark spoon fishing lure with a slot that receives a glow in the dark cartridge
  • 10,302,177 - Friction driven beltless grain spreader
  • 10,285,527 - Motorized drapery apparatus with batteries positioned in the brackets
  • 10,246,878 - Material handling system and method of use
  • 10,246,938 - High efficiency roller shade and method for setting artificial stops
  • 10,246,911 - Recreational or utility vehicle door opening system
  • D843,831 - Medium container
  • D843,191 - Guide of a circular saw and track
  • 10,231,568 - Portable coffee brewing device
  • D842,015 - Mobile and collapsible workbench
  • 10,220,411 - Wood treatment method
  • 10,219,647 - Portable coffee brewing device
  • D840,803 - Small container
  • 10,183,338 - Cam lock fence system and method of use

Brand Owners: “Your True Colors Are Beautiful” – And Worthy of Protection! Have You Filed a Color Trademark Yet?

02-28-2024 As a child of the 1980s, I’d be remiss if I didn’t kick this blog post off with a nod to the pink-haired Cyndi Lauper (a trademark owner herself), who perhaps said it best in her 1986 hit “True Colors:” “I see your true colors Shining through I see your true colors And that's why I love you So don't be afraid to let them show Your true colors True...
Read More

What is "Virtual Patent Marking" and Does It Make Sense for Your Business?

03-28-2023 Have you ever seen a product with the words “Patented” “Patent No.” Pat. No.” or similar language printed on it? If you have, you have seen an example of patent marking. The purpose of patent marking is to provide notice to the public that the product is patented. A patent owner is not required to mark a product as “Patented.” However, there are...
Read More

The Supplemental Register - What is it? How is the Supplemental Register Different than the Principal Register?

02-6-2023 Wait! What? There are different kinds of federal trademark registers? The answer is Yes. There are two types of federal trademark registers – The “Principal Register” and the “Supplemental Register.” In this blog I hope to provide some insight on the differences between trademarks registered on the Principal Register and the Supplemental Register....
Read More

Trademark Symbols – “®” “TM” “SM” – What Do They Mean and When Should I Use Them?

01-10-2022 I’m often asked the question “What do the Trademark Symbols – “®” “TM” “SM” – mean, and when should I use them?” Only One Rule: There is only one rule that you have to follow when it comes to the use of trademark symbols, and that is: You cannot use the “®” symbol unless and until the trademark is officially registered by the United States Patent...
Read More

Big Developments In European Patent Protection – The Myth of a European Unitary Patent May Soon Become Reality

12-13-2021 Filing patents in Europe has always been challenging, and unsatisfying – if not downright disheartening. That’s because there has been no way to get comprehensive patent coverage across the European Union. In the U.S. you can get one patent that covers all 50 States. No such system exists in Europe. Instead, in Europe to get comprehensive coverage...
Read More

Slashing Costs? Don’t Let The Abandonment Of Your IP Portfolio Be “A Permanent Reminder Of A Temporary Feeling.”

03-25-2020 Economic crisis, Jimmy Buffett and IP portfolios, here we go. I’ve spent the last two weeks talking with clients, colleagues and friends all over the world trying to wrap my head around the current situation we’re in as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. These conversations have confirmed the entire world is doing what we’re doing – staying home...
Read More

Intellectual Property Attorney Chris Proskey Exceeds 1,000 Trademarks at the United States Patent & Trademark Office

07-24-2023 BrownWinick is pleased to announce that Chris Proskey, an Intellectual Property Attorney, has reached a remarkable milestone that deserves celebration and recognition. With over 1,000 federal trademark filings in his name, Chris has achieved a milestone showcasing his invaluable contributions to the field of Trademark Law. This achievement...
Read More

BrownWinick Attorney Chris Proskey Selected as a Member of the West Des Moines Leadership Academy 2018-2019 Class

07-2-2018 Chris Proskey, an Intellectual Property attorney at BrownWinick, was selected to the West Des Moines Leadership Academy Class of 2018-2019. Community leaders from a variety of industries and backgrounds were selected for inclusion in the Academy. The West Des Moines Leadership Academy is an intensive, regionally-oriented leadership development...
Read More

BrownWinick Attorney Chris Proskey Selected as a Member of the 2016-17 Leadership Iowa Class

08-25-2016 Congratulations to Chris Proskey, an intellectual property attorney at BrownWinick, for being selected as a member of the 2016-17 Association of Business and Industry Foundation's Leadership Iowa class. The goal of the selection process is to create a class that brings together leaders from across the state who represent a variety of occupations,...
Read More

Assistant

Katlyn Noftsger, Paralegal - 515-248-6637

Emily Bindl, Assistant - 515-558-8863

Molly Howard, Assistant - 515-242-2463

Undergraduate

Iowa State University of Science and Technology

B.S., Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering, 2001

Graduate

University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management

M.B.A., 2006

Legal

Drake University Law School

J.D., with honors, Dwight D. Opperman Scholar, 2007

Admitted

Iowa, 2007;

Florida, 2008;

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, 2008

 

Memberships & Associations

  • Polk County Bar Association
    Member
  • Iowa State Bar Association
    Member; Intellectual Property Law Section
  • International Trademark Association
    Member
  • Florida Bar Association
    Member