Trevor L. Bannister

Trevor L. Bannister is a Pittsburgh intellectual property lawyer who advises startups, established businesses, and international corporations on protecting, enforcing, and commercializing intellectual property. His practice covers patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret matters, with particular emphasis on developing and managing domestic and international patent portfolios. He also helps management teams address licensing, due diligence, product launches, technology development, and day-to-day intellectual property concerns.

Bannister earned his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 2010. He received a B.A. in Computer Science in 2003 and a B.A. in Biological Sciences, cum laude, in 1999 from the State University of New York at Buffalo. His combined legal, scientific, and technical education supports his ability to evaluate inventions, understand complex technologies, and provide practical intellectual property guidance.

His experience includes preparing and prosecuting patent applications involving AI and machine learning, software, computer hardware, electrical circuitry, cloud computing, robotics, medical devices, bioprocessing equipment, and mass spectrometry systems. Bannister also advises on patentability, freedom-to-operate, non-infringement, and invalidity opinions. He has supported patent litigation and inter partes review proceedings, negotiated intellectual property licenses, managed trademark portfolios, conducted clearance analyses, and counseled clients on copyright protection.

Trevor L. Bannister brings prior experience as a controls system engineer and information technology professional to his legal practice. This background helps him communicate with research, development, and management teams while identifying intellectual property issues tied to emerging products and technologies. He combines technical understanding with strategic legal analysis to help clients capture new inventions, strengthen intellectual property assets, manage risk, and build protection strategies aligned with long-term business goals.

Law Office Affiliations

• Member, Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC
• Member, Pennsylvania Bar Association

Licensed State

• Pennsylvania

Education

• University of Pittsburgh School of Law
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• State University of New York at Buffalo
  Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Awards & Badges