Firm Members
The staff members of HIROE AND ASSOCIATES provide clients with expertise and experience in a wide range of industrial and scientific fields. Many of our members have experience as scientists in industry as well as in patent and trademark application drafting. Our expertise reflects the variety of industries prevalent in Gifu Prefecture, from high technology to textile manufacturing. Our support and translation members insure that can provide custom translation of a wide variety of documents.The firm is grouped roughly into three sections, the Patent Section, the Intellectual Property Section and the International Section. The International Section coordinates incoming and outgoing international matters with Patent and Intellectual Property Sections. The Intellectual Property Section handles all domestic and foreign patent searches, registration management, design registration, domestic trademark searches and filing, and drawings.
       
       
Tutomu Nisio (Tsutomu Nishio) joined Hiroe and Associates in 2003 and qualified as a patent attorney in 2004. He graduated from Osaka University with a degree in industrial and mechanical engineering in 1978. Mr. Nisio has thirteen years of engineering experience, which includes designing and maintaining various production and cost management systems as well as the design and development of printing machinery for various containers.

　　Mr. Nisio comes to Hiroe & Associates with 6 years of experience in the intellectual property field. His primary area of technical expertise is with industrial machinery, but he also has extensive experience with diagnostic and sensor technologies as used with applications ranging from dentistry to fire and disaster control.

　　At Hiroe and Associates, Mr. Nisio advises clients on the prosecution and enforcement of patents and utility models for industrial and mechanical devices.
Motoaki Hattori graduated with a degree in synthetic chemistry from Nagoya University in 1985. He joined Hiroe and Associates in July 2007 with over 19 years experience in research and development of synthetic plastics for a chemical manufacturer, as a member of a law firm, and in practice at his own firm.

　　　He has worked with technologies including advanced materials, automobile accessories, air conditioning equipment, other mechanical inventions, mechatronics, semi-conductors, fuel batteries and plastic molding technologies.

　　　Mr. Hattori is a member of the Japan Patent Attorneys Associate (APAA).
Kanako YASHIRO graduated from Tsuda College in 1996 with a degree in International relations. Before joining Hiroe and Associates in 2008, she has worked for two patent law firms. She has also lived in the United Kingdom for about three years studying English and business communications. She qualified a patent attorney in 2004. She has also been licensed to litigate patent infringement lawsuits jointly with an attorney-at-law.

　　She mainly handles trademark matters for both domestic and foreign clients. She is a member of the Japan Patent Attorneys Association (JPAA). She has also been a member of the Trademark Committee in the JPAA and was assigned as a vice-chairman of the committee in 2006.
Hisao HASE joined Hiroe & Associates in March 2009 and registered as a member of the Japan Patent Attorneys Association in April 2009.

　　Mr. Hase’s experience includes ten years in electronic ceramics research and development at the FDK Corporation, two years in precision casting refractory research and development at Mikawa Kousan Co. Ltd., and six years in aerospace parts development at Alcoa Howmet. His accomplishments include being credited as the inventor on several patents.

　　Mr. Hase holds an undergraduate degree in Inorganic Material Engineering from the Nagoya Institute of Technology. He has expertise in electronic ceramics and precision casting technology.
 
Satoshi HASHIMOTO Mr. Hashimoto holds a Bachelor’s and a Master's Degree in Applied Physics and Physico-Informatics from Keio University, Faculty of Science and Industry.
He has experience in research and development of magnetic recording media, particularly hard disks.
He joined Hiroe & Associates in September 2008 and qualified as a patent attorney in May 2010.
 
Mariko NISHIHARA Ms. Nishihara graduated from the Pharmaceutical Department at The University of Tokushima in 2000. She acquired her license to practice pharmacy in 2000.
She has worked with CRO (Contract Research Organization) participating in clinical trial projects. The objects of the clinical trials, of which she was in charge, were osteoporosis, bronchial asthma, chronic sinusitis, and Alzheimer’s disease. Thereafter, she worked as a pharmacist in commercial pharmacies.
She passed the patent bar examination in November 2008. She joined Hiroe and Associates and qualified a patent attorney in 2011.
 
Masanori HIROE Mr. Hiroe received a Masters Degree in Civil Law from the Graduate School of Ritsumeikan University in March 2001. He has also attended doctoral studies at Ritsumeikan University concentrating on Civil Law.
He joined Hiroe & Associates in April 2001 and has been assisting in preparation of design and trademark applications and their prosecution.
He passed the patent bar examination in November 2010 and qualified a patent attorney in April 2011.
Taras P. Bemko has been working on a contract basis for Hiroe and Associates since June, 2009, and formally joined the Firm in September, 2009.

　　 Mr. Bemko holds a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from South Texas College of Law, a Master of Business Administration Degree from University of Houston - Clear Lake, and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from The University of Houston. Mr. Bemko has been a licensed Professional Engineer, in Texas, since 1993. He has a technical background in the design of wellhead equipment and as an applications engineer primarily involved with a variety of valve designs including high pressure and high temperature equipment. Mr. Bemko also has experience in manufacturing, technical sales, and field service work.

　　Mr. Bemko has been licensed to practice law since 2002. He is registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office, is licensed in the state of Texas, including the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, and is a certified mediator.

　　Mr. Bemko's patent and trademark law experience includes the drafting and prosecution of applications for patents, patentability searches and opinions, patent validity and infringement opinions, reissue and reexamination applications, trademark searches and applications, intellectual property counseling, novelty opinions, licensing agreements, and counseling cclients regarding technology transfers. Mr. Bemko's litigation experience includes intellectual property and business tort litigation including misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of fiduciary duties, and tortuous interference with business and contracts.

　　Mr. Bemko has prepared and prosecuted patents for inventions in a variety of areas involving the mechanical, chemical, and electrical arts, including various oil field tools and methods of use, waste treatment, non-destructive testing and evaluation, business methods, computers, seismic, crossbows, firefighting equipment, games, product bagging, and custom cabinetry supports.



This page updated October 28,2009