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Shamita D. Etienne-Cummings is a partner in the law firm of McDermott Will & Emery LLP. As a member of the Intellectual Property, Media & Technology Department, she concentrates her practice on litigation, including counseling and patent enforcement and defense before district courts, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the International Trade Commission.
Prior to joining the Firm, Shamita practiced as an electrical engineer and program manager for a major corporation in the telecommunications industry. As an electrical engineer, Shamita designed and implemented wireless communication and satellite systems. As a program manager, she was responsible for the development, deployment and financial viability of various new communications products and services.
As a trial attorney, Shamita has served as lead counsel and has substantial experience representing clients in cases involving a broad range of technologies, including electronic systems, computer software, internet products and services, medical devices, computer architecture, semiconductor processes, analog and digital circuits and mechanical products. More specifically, Shamita has been successful in presenting arguments pertaining to claim construction issues during Markman hearings before various district courts across the United States. In many instances, she has been successful in reaching significant settlements for her clients upon obtaining favorable claim construction orders. In addition to her district court and ITC experience, Shamita has also successfully argued appeals before the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences in the United States Patent and Trademark Office. She has also successfully represented numerous clients in negotiating licenses for a wide variety of patented technologies, including large-scale database networks, internet software packages, telecommunication software and electronics, chipsets compatible with various computer architectures, imaging technology, medical devices and consumer electronics. Shamita was named as a Washington Elite Lawyer in the August 2005 issue of Washington SmartCEO.
Shamita has co-authored an amicus brief on behalf of the Patent and Trademark Section of the Bar Association of the District of Columbia in Festo v. SMC, which involves issues relating to prosecution history estoppel and the doctrine of equivalents.
Education:
Southern Illinois University School of Law, J.D. (cum laude)
University of Pennsylvania, B.S.E.E. | 