Burris Law attorneys Evan Sotiriou and George Patsarikas will serve as volunteer judges for the 2026 National Patent Application Drafting Competition, organized by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
The annual competition features virtual regional rounds in March, followed by a National Finals Round to be held in-person at USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. The event introduces law students and undergraduate students participating in pre-law intellectual property programs to the practical challenges involved in U.S. patent law and patent application drafting.
During the competition, participating teams analyze a hypothetical invention scenario and develop a strategy for protecting the innovation through a utility patent application. Teams conduct prior art research, draft patent specifications and claims, and present their reasoning before panels of judges drawn from the intellectual property community, including USPTO officials, patent practitioners, and academic experts.
As volunteer judges, Evan and George will evaluate student submissions and presentations, providing feedback based on their experience in patent preparation and prosecution. Their participation helps ensure that students receive insight from practicing IP attorneys who regularly work with inventors, technology companies, and research institutions.
Supporting programs like the National Patent Application Drafting Competition reflects Burris Law’s commitment to advancing the intellectual property profession and encouraging the development of the next generation of IP attorneys.
About the Attorneys
Evan Sotiriou has more than 25 years of experience in intellectual property law, primarily focusing on patent preparation and prosecution. Evan manages Burris Law’s St. Louis office. Evan’s representation of clients is mainly concentrated in the technological fields of electrical, software, electromechanical, and mechanical inventions. He also has extensive experience with trademark matters and has prepared and prosecuted numerous trademark applications for clients before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.
George Patsarikas is an IP attorney at Burris Law focused on patent preparation and prosecution. He has deep experience in electrical engineering and computer-implemented technologies, including software, machine learning and artificial intelligence systems, automotive control systems, semiconductors, and communications technologies. George works with inventors, in-house counsel, universities, and companies ranging from startups to Fortune 500 organizations to protect IP, reduce risk, and identify revenue-generating opportunities.