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Overview

Steve is an intellectual property attorney with a passion for defending new technology, ideas, and products. 

Steve focuses his practice on litigating intellectual property disputes, especially patent infringement and trade secret misappropriation lawsuits. He has significant experience representing pharmaceutical companies in Hatch-Waxman Act matters, representing patent holders at the International Trade Commission, and defending employees from unfair accusations of trade secret misappropriation.

Crafting enforcement, defense, and litigation strategies, Steve works closely with clients. When trial is inevitable, he develops creative arguments and represents clients in all stages of litigation, from pre-suit assessment and opinion stage, through discovery, expert discovery, trial, and appeal.

Industries

Services

Education

  • J.D., University of Michigan Law School
    • cum laude
  • B.A., Kalamazoo College
    • cum laude
    • Biology

Admissions

  • Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
  • Wisconsin
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin
  • U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit

Professional Memberships and Certifications

  • American Bar Association
  • State Bar of Wisconsin

Languages

  • Spanish, proficient
Featured Experience

A Quick Victory

When a Chinese manufacturer’s booth was raided by U.S. Marshals at the largest consumer electronics show in the country, Steve’s legal team leapt into action. They quickly learned that a competitor had secretly won a temporary restraining order against the Chinese manufacturer, claiming patent infringement in an effort to keep their products out of the U.S. market. Steve’s team fought the preliminary injunction and accompanying lawsuit so thoroughly that the plaintiff withdrew their complaint within a month and chose not to pursue the case any further. The client was free to introduce their products into the U.S. and avoided a costly permanent injunction.


Additional Experience
  • Represented agricultural equipment manufacturer and patent owner in patent infringement litigation and jury trial involving four patents on farm implement technology.
  • Represented pharmaceutical manufacturer in patent infringement litigation and trial relating to injectable antifungal medication.
  • Represented pharmaceutical manufacturer in patent infringement litigation and trial relating to medication for treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia.
  • Represented pharmaceutical manufacturer in patent infringement litigation relating to blood pressure medication.
  • Represented telecommunications company in litigation involving claims of patent infringement and trade secret misappropriation.
  • Represented pharmaceutical company in litigation involving claims of trade secret misappropriation, breach of contract and business torts.
  • Represented agricultural equipment manufacturer in patent infringement litigation and appeal involving patents relating to commercial lawn care technology.
  • Represented electronics and personal mobility device manufacturer in patent infringement litigation involving utility and design patents on self-balancing one-wheeled skateboard technology.
  • Represented pharmaceutical manufacturer in patent infringement litigation relating to zoledronic acid drug products.
  • Represented pharmaceutical manufacturer in patent infringement litigation relating to abuse-resistant OxyContin formulations.
  • Represented pharmaceutical manufacturer in patent infringement litigation relating to iron chelation therapy products.
  • Represented pharmaceutical manufacturer in patent infringement litigation relating to oral chemotherapy product.
  • Represented electronics manufacturer in competitive landscape analysis for licensing negotiations.
  • Prevailed before the Federal Circuit on behalf of international motor manufacturer in patent case involving complex applications of Illinois contract law to intellectual property licensing agreements.
  • Achieved victory in patent dispute for loan origination platform developer client, utilizing invalidity defense based on Supreme Court's Alice doctrine
News Releases | October 15, 2021
Husch Blackwell Scores Victory for Sigmapharm in Hatch-Waxman Litigation

Husch Blackwell successfully defended Sigmapharm Laboratories, LLC in connection with its application for approval of a generic version of the antidepressant vortioxetine.

News Releases | January 07, 2020
Husch Blackwell Wins Patent Dispute over Mortgage Loan Application Technology

The victory on behalf of Meridianlink represents the third time in the last couple of years that Telscher has led a trial team to victory on Alice grounds.

News Releases | May 30, 2019
Stephen Howe Joins Husch Blackwell's Milwaukee Office

His clients range from Fortune 500 companies to emerging start-ups.

Outside the Office

Steve loves outdoor adventures.

Steve especially enjoys skiing, boating, biking and kite surfing. He considers himself fortunate to live in a state with ample water access, but usually spends his vacations in ski destinations – a favorite is Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Community Leadership

Steve places a high priority on pro bono work.

Steve has devoted hundreds of pro bono hours over the course of his career. He has successfully obtained asylum for multiple clients seeking to avoid removal to dangerous countries, and has litigated multiple Section 1983 cases to defend the constitutional rights of inmates.