Mr. Esplin is an associate within the Intellectual Property section of Pillsbury. His practice spans many areas of intellectual property law, and his areas of technical focus include optical systems (e.g., photolithographic systems, optical touch-screens, and surgical systems, among others), computer software, including video games and virtual worlds, computer graphics processing, mechanical devices, control systems, network infrastructure, security, and maintenance, sound recording/reproduction, medical devices, wireless communication and business methods.

The scope of Mr. Esplin’s practice covers a broad range of intellectual property matters, such as developing patent filing strategies, patent preparation, patent prosecution, transactional due diligence, and advising clients with respect to the validity, infringement and potential avoidance of third party patent rights. Mr. Esplin also has experience with intellectual property matters pertaining to video games and virtual worlds, and is actively involved in one of the foremost organizations involved in legal issues pertaining to virtual worlds, The SL Bar Association on SecondLife^®.

Before joining the firm, Mr. Esplin was a patent law clerk at another prominent law firm, where he prepared and prosecuted patent applications, provided analyses pertaining to patentability, freedom to operate and due diligence opinions. Mr. Esplin also served as a patent examiner at the US Patent and Trademark Office, where he examined patent applications pertaining to optical systems including film photography cameras, photolithographic apparatuses, projectors, photocopiers and printers.

The American Intellectual Property Law Association, The San Diego Intellectual Property Law Association, The American Bar Association, The SL Bar Association