Overview
Intellectual Property is a natural fit for a self-proclaimed science lover. Erin enjoys working with clients who are as passionate as she is about what they do. She shares in a client’s enthusiasm for a new brand or invention and enjoys working with them throughout the process of protecting their assets.
As a member of the firm’s Intellectual Property Service Group, Erin counsels clients regarding options for protections of inventions and brands through a combination of patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets. Many of her clients work in the software, mechanical, manufacturing, medical, and service industries. She has experience drafting and prosecuting patents in a wide variety of technologies and goods, including network management and security, access point coordination, cloud computing, data mining and analytics, medical diagnostic tools and medical devices, and manufacturing and products in a variety of industries.
Erin also helps clients secure a variety of federal trademark registrations and assists clients in policing and enforcing their trademarks if and when issues of infringement arise. In addition, she aids clients in domain name disputes before the World Intellectual Property Organization, often relating to domains attempting to use registered trademarks.
Erin’s love of science is a driving force in her career. She studied physics in undergrad and worked as a teaching assistant in the physics department through undergrad and law school, where she refined her skills communicating complicated ideas. She draws on this experience today when she needs to make concepts more accessible.
Outside the office, Erin plays in UWM’s Community Orchestra. She enjoys cooking and baking. She also spends a lot of time outside hiking and running, often accompanied by her dog.
Experience
Membership & Involvement
- Member: American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA); Eastern District of Wisconsin Bar Association
- Wisconsin State Bar Intellectual Property and Technology Section Board: Member; Chairperson-Elect (2023)
Resources & Insights
In the Media
Alerts
Published Works
- Tom Pienkos and Erin Kaprelian Weigh In on 2023 Trends in Intellectual PropertyTom Pienkos and Erin Kaprelian Weigh In on 2023 Trends in Intellectual Property
Wisconsin Lawyer recently published an article, "Wisconsin Legal Trends 2023" where twenty-five Wisconsin lawyers and others in the legal profession weighed in on trends in 17 different practice areas.
- USPTO Moves to Electronic Trademark Registration CertificatesUSPTO Moves to Electronic Trademark Registration Certificates
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) announced on May 24 that it had accelerated its transition to electronic trademark registration certificates. Going forward, the USPTO joins other countries, including Canada and the EU, in only issuing electronic trademark registration certificates unless otherwise requested.
- 2022 Chambers Global Practice Guide on Trade Marks USA: Trends and Developments2022 Chambers Global Practice Guide on Trade Marks USA: Trends and Developments
Mike Bendel, Erin Kaprelian, and Alexis Merbach co-authored the chapter, along with Joe Heino, addressing the latest court decisions involving trademark infringement, registration, and licensing.
Services
Education
Marquette University Law School, J.D.
Marquette University, B.S., cum laude
Admissions
- Wisconsin
- U.S. Patent & Trademark Office