Coats & Bennett, P.L.L.C.
1400 Crescent Green • Suite 300
Cary, North Carolina 27511
tel: 919-854-1844
fax: 919-854-2084
toll free: 1-800-575-1278

Mark Bilak brings a unique blend of technical, legal and educational experience to the practice of Intellectual Property law.  Mr. Bilak has extensive experience in all aspects of the “patent life cycle” including developing patentable inventions, procuring patents, and leveraging patents to produce income, secure freedom of action, or both.

Mr. Bilak has experience preparing patent applications and invention disclosures in a wide range of technologies, including: semiconductor technology, analog and digital circuits, memory systems, microprocessors, digital video systems, network processors, computer systems, high-speed I/O interfaces, and communication systems.

Before joining Coats & Bennett in 2005, Mr. Bilak enjoyed a rewarding career at IBM where he began his career as a microprocessor development engineer in 1996.  Mr. Bilak successfully led the qualification efforts for the first product manufactured using an industry-first copper metallurgy wiring process developed by IBM.  He then spent six years at IBM working on various IP assignments including: facilitating invention brainstorming sessions, drafting invention disclosures, reverse engineering, licensing patents and technology know-how, addressing adversely held patents, and drafting and prosecuting patent applications.

In 2005, Mr. Bilak received his J.D. and certificate of Intellectual Property from Quinnipiac University School of Law, summa cum laude (first in the evening division), while working full-time at IBM.

Mr. Bilak received an M.S.E.E. degree from the University of Vermont in 2000 and a B.S.E.E. degree, cum laude, from Alfred University in 1996 where he worked as a research assistant to Professor Xingwu Wang.  Mr. Bilak is a co-inventor on three issued U.S. patents and six pending patent applications.