John E. Whitaker

John Whitaker counsels clients on technology protection and the enforcement of intellectual property rights, including patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets. He routinely represents technology clients in the software, computer, medical device, and telecommunications industries, and he also helps artists and authors to protect their original works. John’s technical experience includes work in machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), Internet communications technologies, autonomous vehicles, cryptography and steganography, network communications and security, online advertising, operating systems, productivity software, medical devices, and more. John has represented clients at the U.S. Patent Office and in federal courts around the country, assisting them in enforcing and defending their intellectual property rights.

Prior to joining COJK, John worked at various prominent law firms, including Merchant & Gould P.C. and Jones & Askew, LLP. John served as a Judge Advocate in the U.S. Army Reserve from 2009 - 2019, providing legal services to eligible military personnel at various military facilities around the world, including Seattle area-based Joint Base Lewis McChord. Before becoming an attorney, John was a software engineer working on the national missile defense effort. Specifically, John was involved in strategic defense initiative projects such as ground-based radar, ground-based surveillance and tracking, and antisatellite programs.

John regularly presents on IP topics to clients and in-house legal teams, and at local bar associations.