Eduardo E. Drake, a registered patent attorney and shareholder, works primarily in the computer and electrical arts, designing and building strategic patents and other legal instruments as well as advising businesses on infringement, validity, and licensing issues. During his 10 years of lawyering and 5 years of engineering, Eduardo has developed expertise in a number of fields, including information technologies, computer software, integrated-circuit fabrication, electronics, imaging systems, and medical devices.
Eduardo was recently recognized by his colleagues and Minnesota Law and Politics magazine as a Rising Star in Minnesota Law, placing him among the top three percent of lawyers in the state. And, the Schwegman firm was recently recognized in IP Law and Business magazine for achieving more top-ten national rankings for patent quality than all but one other firm in the country. These included number-one rankings for its work in patenting computer, biotech, and medical-related innovations.
Before joining the legal profession, Eduardo earned an electrical-engineering degree (magna cum laude) from Mississippi State University, where he served as chapter Vice President of the engineering honor society, Tau Beta Pi. Eduardo's industry experience includes two years at Grand Gulf Nuclear Station and Dover Elevator Systems and three years at General Electric Aerospace Electronics. At GE, he designed computer simulations, control software, and digital hardware for an adaptive-array radar and developed infrared-targeting algorithms for the U.S. Strategic Defense Initiative. Also while at GE, Eduardo furthered his technical education through extensive course work at Syracuse University toward a Master's degree in electrical engineering.
Eduardo earned his J.D. at the University of Virginia, where he served on the managing board of the Virginia Journal of Social Policy and the Law. Since then, he has worked as a past Chairman of the Small Business Committee of the Minnesota Intellectual Property Law Association and now serves as Chairman of its Publication Committee. Additionally, Eduardo is a contributing author of Intellectual Property Law for Business Lawyers from West Publishing Company and Electronic and Software Patents: Law and Practice from BNA Books.