John Wilke

John Wilke is of Counsel in the New York office of Ladas & Parry LLP.

John served two years in the U.S. Army stationed in Germany and on his return he graduated cum laude from the University of North Dakota with a double major in journalism and political science.  He graduated from Northwestern University School of Law in 1979 and then worked for two years as an Attorney Examiner in the USPTO.  He then went to General Mills as a trademark attorney, and then went on to become trademark counsel for G.D. Searle & Co.,  Monsanto Company and American Tool Companies.

During his corporate practice he served on the International Trademark Association Board of Directors and chaired several INTA committees dealing with trademark legislation and USPTO policy and procedures.  He returned to the USPTO in 2005 and retired at the end of 2021.  Shortly after his return to the Office he was chosen to testify before Congress regarding the USPTO’s work-from-home policy.  He has the distinction of being the first person to ever testify before Congress from a remote location.  He also won a Bronze Medal Award for Superior Federal Service and was twice named Examiner of the Year.

He is a member of the Bar of the District of Columbia.