Our Team

Dionne N. Hallett is a Senior Technology Specialist in the Mechanical and Biotechnology practice group. Dionne focuses not only on managing the group, but performing research as well. She conducts her research in a variety of fields including automotive, biomedical engineering, aeronautical, textile fabrication, fluid mechanics, robotics, and thermodynamics.

In addition to research, Dionne has a background in plant engineering and industrial engineering. She has designed and maintained conveyor systems in addition to contributing to the development of plant simulation systems.

Dionne is a mechanical engineer with a concentration in thermodynamics. She has extensive research experience in combustion within automotive and aircraft engines under the supervision of Dr. Semih Eser at The Pennsylvania State University.

Dionne enjoys cooking and baking in her free time and loves to satisfy the company’s sweet tooth. Some other interests include movies, especially action, and medieval renaissance fairs.

Gideon Eckhouse brings his experience from a graduate biochemistry program, a top intellectual property law school, and a Federal court to the service of KramerAmado's clients. Gideon drafts Freedom to Practice, Noninfringement, and Invalidity opinions for a variety of biotechnology, chemical, and nutraceutical corporations. Gideon assists the Directors of KramerAmado in counseling clients and finding ways to accomplish their goals. As the point-person for the firm's trademark practice, Gideon evaluates the availability and registrability of proposed marks, files and prosecutes trademark applications, and pursues and defends Oppositions before the Trademark Trial and Appeals Board.

Gideon consistently strives to mentor and coach newer associates. He is also very active in the DC/VA/MD legal community and is among the most active associates in meeting other lawyers and scientists in the area during a variety of networking events. He enjoys a good vodka tonic, so feel free to "buy" him a drink at the open bar.

Gideon is the commissioner of the firm's fantasy football league and March Madness pool. He also enjoys playing golf, is active in the local Jewish community, and maintains a thriving fish tank at home and a much smaller one on his desk.

Gideon is a member of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee for INTA.

Jesse knows that the key to working on any patent project is to understand the invention. Jesse mastered this principle while examining patent applications in the Semiconductor Arts for nine years at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Using that experience as a base, working as an Attorney and Team Lead for the Electrical Engineering search group at KramerAmado, Jesse brings his diverse knowledge of patent law and practice to drafting new applications, conducting patent prosecution, drafting opinions, and conducting prior art searches. Jesse enjoys his career because patent law and technology never sleeps. Every day there is something new to learn. 

Jesse perfected his strong work ethic while working full-time as an Examiner and attending law school part-time, and he knows that versatility is the key to being a successful patent professional. New technologies are constantly emerging, and Jesse has learned to change with the times. With his strong foundations in electrical engineering and law, Jesse is poised to represent clients and protect any idea that comes his way.

Jesse works well by himself and thrives in the group setting of KramerAmado where he can contribute his unique knowledge and work ethic to complete numerous projects on time and within budget. Always the engineer, Jesse is an avid gardener and enjoys creating his yearly garden and growing healthy foods to share with family and friends.  

Matthew Allen is a senior technology specialist in the electrical engineering search group. He has fourteen years of experience in conducting various types of IP searches including freedom-to-operate, clearance, patentability, accelerated examination, right-to-market, and invalidity searches. Matthew specializes in wireless communications, networking (mobile broadband, WiFi, satellite, sensor networks, etc.), computer engineering (system/network architectures, distributed computing, data storage systems, etc.), signal processing and semi-conductors.

Dr. Thomas A. Powers is a Patent Agent and researcher in the chemical and biotechnology practice group. Tom focuses on preparation and prosecution of U.S. and PCT patent applications in a variety of fields, including chemistry, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals, and semiconductor chip fabrication and packaging.

In addition to prosecuting patent applications on behalf of domestic clients, Tom is experienced in working with international clients. He has prosecuted original and U.S. national stage applications on behalf of clients from Europe and Asia. He has also worked with foreign law firms to obtain international patent protection for his clients.

Before joining the firm, Tom was employed as a Patent Examiner by the USPTO. At the USPTO, Tom examined Patent Applications relating to laminated materals, optical disks, superconductive devices, and polymeric articles.

Tom is an organic chemist with extensive research experience at the undergraduate and graduate level, focusing on use of a variety of analytical and spectroscopic techniques. At the undergraduate level, he conducted research in organic electrochemistry under the supervision of Dr. Albert J. Fry at Wesleyan University. His work included both synthetic electrochemistry and analytical techniques, such as cyclic voltammetry.

Tom later conducted research on heteroatom NMR spectroscopy at the University of North Carolina under the supervision of Dr. Slayton A. Evans, Jr. His research focused on use of lanthanide shift reagents in oxygen-17 NMR spectroscopy.

Tom also has experience in computational chemistry. As an undergraduate, he applied molecular modeling to conformational analysis of hindered hydrocarbons. As a graduate student, he used ab initio computations to study complexes of sulfones with metal ions.

Tom enjoys pulp fiction, and collects original pulp magazines. Some of his favorite pulp magazines include science fiction and fantasy pulps, such as Planet Stories, Thrilling Wonder Stories, and Weird Tales. He also owns first editions of rare early pulp collections.

Tom collects jazz and classic rock records, and provides the music for the monthly KramerAmado happy hour.

Selected Research Publications:

        "Albert J. Fry, Thomas A. Powers, Klaus Muellen, and Wolfgang Irmen; “Electrochemical behavior of layered annulenes,” Tetrahedron Letters (1985), 26(40), 4879-82."

"Albert J. Fry and Thomas A. Powers, “Electrochemical reduction of (1-bromo-2,2-dimethylpropyl)benzene in dimethylformamide on carbon electrodes,” The Journal of Organic Chemistry (1987), 52(12), 2498-501."

"Thomas A. Powers, Lee G. Pedersen, and Slayton A. Evans, Jr.; “Oxygen-17 NMR studies of heterocyclic sulfones and trans-2-(alkylsulfonyl)cyclohexanols utilizing the lanthanide shift reagent Eu(FOD)3,” Phosphorus, Sulfur, Silicon, and the Related Elements (1991), 59(1-4), 499-504."

"Thomas A. Powers and Slayton A. Evans, Jr., “Lanthanide induced oxygen-17 NMR shifts of diastereotopic oxygen atoms in 1-thiadecalin 1,1-dioxide and related compounds,” Tetrahedron Letters (1990), 31(41), 5835-8."       ""

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