Prior to joining Cabello Hall Zinda, Frank served in-house as the Vice President Intellectual Property Counsel for a publicly traded energy services company, who develops, manufactures, and distributes oilfield specialty chemicals, downhole tools, artificial lift, software, and flavor & fragrance products. In this role, Frank advised executives and senior management in connection with implementing robust, intellectual property strategies, designed to secure, protect, and enforce his client’s valuable IP rights.  He managed the company’s complex IP and commercial litigation as both plaintiff and defendant, including patent infringement involving microemulsions and drill string vibration tools; inter partes review proceedings before the USPTO on chemical and mechanical technologies; misappropriation of trade secrets; breach of contract; and fraud claims.  Being conscious of budget and financial resources, Frank resolved multiple IP and commercial disputes, without the need to engage in formal and costly litigation.  Furthermore, he contributed to the parabolic growth of the company’s patent and trademark portfolios, where he managed and directed all IP prosecution matters, globally, on chemical, mechanical, and software technologies.

 

He represents clients in drafting, strategizing, negotiating, and analyzing various IP and commercial contracts, including non-disclosure and confidentiality, material transfer, joint research and development, licenses, assignments, sales, master service agreements, transportation, consulting, and employment agreements.

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Frank also has experience counseling clients in connection with pre-suit investigations, infringement analysis, freedom to operate / product clearance, prior art searches, enforceability, patentability opinions, and IP due diligence for merger & acquisitions.

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Education

•    ​University of Texas at Austin, B.S. in Biochemistry

•    ​South Texas College of Law, J.D.
•    Currents:  International Trade Law Journal, Articles and MIS Editor​

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Admissions

•    Texas
•    U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
•    U.S. District Court – Southern District of Texas
•    U.S. District Court – Eastern District of Texas

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Professional Activities

•    Houston Intellectual Property Law Association
•    Asian American Bar Association of Houston​​

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Publications

• Frank Z. Lin, Piracy in China: Identifying the Problem and Implementing Solutions, 14 Currents: In'l Trade L.J. 83 (2005).

 

Prior Experience

Prior to attending law school, Frank worked as an environmental scientist for the Air Measurements division for engineering companies, where he tested emissions produced by refineries and other industrial process plants for state and federal environmental compliance.

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