David Oppenhuizen is the principal of Oppenhuizen Law PLC, which is located on the southeast side of Grand Rapids just minutes off I96 with convenient parking just steps from our door.

Personal

I was born and raised in Grand Rapids.  In 2007 I started my legal career working for a small intellectual property firm in metro Detroit.  I then moved back to Grand Rapids in 2014 and have been running my own solo law practice since that time.  I enjoy maintaining a small office so that I can work closely with my clients, and I can ensure that my clients will not be delegated to a less experienced attorney within my firm.  I have three children, and my favorite thing in life is spending time with them.  When the weather is warm here in Michigan, I also try to golf, make hard cider, get outside whenever possible, and enjoy drives in my convertible.  My education, credentials, and professional accomplishments are listed below:

Professional Experience and Education

Education

• Juris Doctor, Michigan State University College of Law, 2006 (certificate of concentration in Intellectual Property)
• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Kettering University (formerly GMI Engineering & Management Institute), 2001

Bar Admissions, Licenses, and Memberships

• Registered Patent Attorney, U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, 2007 (first registered as a Patent Agent in 2005)
• Licensed Attorney, State Bar of Michigan, 2006
• U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, 2006
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, 2007
• Top Lawyer 2021, Grand Rapids Magazine
• Top Lawyer 2019, Grand Rapids Magazine
• Rising Star in the field of Intellectual Property, 2017
• Rising Star in the field of Intellectual Property, 2016

Professional Experience I first began working as an engineering co-op while I was a student at Kettering University in 1996.  I worked for one of the world’s leading automotive suppliers.  My work in the automotive industry covered a vast array of technical fields, including design, manufacture, plastic thermoforming, metal machining, failure analysis, heat transfer, metallurgy, sheet metal forming, machine vision, and basic electronics. After graduating from Kettering University I worked as a design engineer at a Michigan-based water heater manufacturer where I helped design and develop some of the industry’s most energy efficient tank-based water heaters.  I then enrolled in law school as a full-time student in 2003. After graduating from law school, I took a position as an associate patent attorney with a small firm in the metropolitan Detroit area.  I spent some time litigating patent, trademark, and copyright cases, but found that what I really enjoyed doing was representing clients before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.  I worked at that firm for 7 years before taking my practice back to Grand Rapids, Michigan and opening my own law practice in 2014.

Exemplary Work Product

(unless specified otherwise, David Oppenhuizen drafted the original application and performed all substantive work resulting in the issuance)

Trademarks An updated list of trademark applications and registrations can be located on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s website.

Utility Patents

• Clamp for Retaining an IV Tube – U.S. Patent No. 10,576,259
• Humerus Internal Safe Locking Nail – U.S. Patent No. 10,561,449 – prosecuted foreign-based application to issuance
• Convertible Center Drill – U.S. Patent No. 10,549,354
• Co-Extruded Plastic Film for Use with a Vehicle Seat – U.S. Patent No. 10,493,732
• High Tibial Osteotomy External Fixator – U.S. Patent No. 10,307,171 – prosecuted foreign-based application to issuance
• Removable Pan for Cooking Grill – U.S. Patent No. 10,278,538
• Attachment Device – U.S. Patent No. 10,069,528
• Sign Holder System – U.S. Patent No. 9,747,818
• Height Adjustable Desk Systems – U.S. Patent No. 9,635,932
• Table with Integrated Lighting – U.S. Patent No. 9,612,006
• Pedal-Powered Brewing System – U.S. Patent No. 9,556,408
• Engine and Induction Generator – U.S. Patent No. 9,467,021
• Device and Methods for Fabricating a Two-Dimensional Image of a Three-Dimensional Object – U.S. Patent No. 9,456,137
• Retaining Mechanism for Telescopic Shaft – U.S. Patent No. 9,403,268
• Exercise Device – U.S. Patent No. 9,403,049
• Reusable Canning Lid – U.S. Patent No. 9,242,771
• Shock Absorber Having Unidirectional Fluid Flow – U.S. Patent No. 9,222,538
• Medical Bed – U.S. Patent No. 8,990,984
• Golf Ball Retriever – U.S. Patent No. 8,944,480
• Device and Methods for Fabricating a Two-Dimensional Image of a Three-Dimensional Object – U.S. Patent No. 8,823,770
• Adjustable Work Platform for Pipe and Casing Stabbing Operations – U.S. Patent No. 8,800,716 – leveraged an issuance by appealing the final rejection to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board
• Apparatus for Producing EMP – U.S. Patent No. 8,785,840
• Apparatus and Method for Separating Dunnage from a Pallet – U.S. Patent No. 8,708,208
• Co-Axial Rotary Engine – U.S. Patent No. 8,695,565 – took over prosecution after application was filed
• Guard for Wheeled Base – U.S. Patent No. 8,684,375
• Medical Bed – U.S. Patent No. 8,640,286
• Shock Absorber Having Unidirectional Fluid Flow – U.S. Patent No. 8,590,679
• Power Generator – U.S. Patent No. 8,508,057
• Vehicle Suspension and Drive System – U.S. Patent No. 8,505,657
• Cover Assembly – U.S. Patent No. 8,454,076
• Shock Absorber Having Unidirectional Flow – U.S. Patent No. 8,453,809
• Flag-Mounting Device for Vehicles – U.S. Patent No. 8,430,052
• Apparatus for Generating Power – U.S. Patent No. 8,307,640
• Adjustable Work Platform for Pipe and Casing Stabbing Operations – U.S. Patent No. 8,297,405 – took over prosecution after a final rejection
• Power Generator – U.S. Patent No. 8,203,224
• Horseshoe – U.S. Patent No. 8,118,107 – leveraged an issuance of the patent after the application was twice rejected with finality
• Explosive Device – U.S. Patent No. 8,104,406
• Explosive Device – U.S. Patent No. 8,065,959
• Arrowhead having both fixed and mechanically expandable blades – U.S. Patent No. 8,062,155 – prosecuted application from a preliminary amendment to issuance of the patent
• Ignition Bypass System – U.S. Patent No. 7,592,714 – successfully appealed patent examiner rejection before the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences

Design Patents

• Table – U.S. Des. Patent No. D875,449
• Table – U.S. Des. Patent No. D873,594
• Credenza – U.S. Des. Patent No. D858,149
• Arm Guard – U.S. Des. Patent No. D853,657
• Suspended Foot Rest – U.S. Des. Patent No. D823,954
• Suspended Foot Rest and Stand – U.S. Des. Patent No. D823,955
• Display Screen with Graphical User Interface – U.S. Des. Patent No. D781,335
• Display Screen with Animated Graphical User Interface – U.S. Des. Patent No. D777,764
• Display Screen with Animated Graphical User Interface – U.S. Des. Patent No. D777,765
• Table Base – U.S. Des. Patent No. D776,474
• Backrest for a Chair – U.S. Des. Patent No. D774,814
• Beverage Holder – U.S. Des. Patent No. D770,237
• Compensator Sprocket – U.S. Des. Patent No. D765,551
• Golf Ball Retriever – U.S. Des. Patent No. D754,268
• Accessory for Electronic Cigarette – U.S. Des. Patent No. D738,569
• Shirt  – U.S. Des. Patent No. D733,403
• Chair – U.S. Des. Patent No. D719,366
• Golf Ball Retriever – U.S. Des. Patent No. D718,398
• Scanner – U.S. Des. Patent No. D711,883
• Safety Harness – U.S. Des. Patent No. D641,524
• Garment Liner – U.S. Des. Patent No. D675,401
• Broadhead with Fixed Parallel Blade – U.S. Des Patent No. D672,836