Spencer Fane LLP is pleased to welcome Dominika N. (Lastovickova) Teator to the firm’s Kansas City, Missouri, office as an associate in the Intellectual Property (IP) Practice Group.
Dominika applies her dynamic background in chemistry and patent law to help individuals and companies of all sizes navigate complex IP matters. Her comprehensive practice includes evaluating patentability and assessing freedom to operate; preparing and prosecuting U.S., international, and foreign patent applications; managing IP portfolio strategy; and conducting due diligence for all related IP matters.
Dominika served as a registered patent agent for eight years, focusing primarily on companies operating in the biological, chemical, and materials sciences spaces. Her clients have included everything from startups to large universities to Fortune 500 companies, indicative of her high adaptability and creative problem-solving when working across the vast patent landscape.
“Dominika brings a level of highly technical knowledge that we’ve seen consistently contribute to exceptional client communication and optimal outcomes in one of our most complex practice areas,” said Julia M. Vander Weele, office managing partner for Spencer Fane in Kansas City, Missouri. “Our skilled IP attorneys look forward to welcoming her to their innovative team located in key markets across the country.”
After obtaining her undergraduate degree from the College of the Holy Cross, Dominika earned her Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Texas at Austin. She also served as a visiting researcher at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology in Ulsan, South Korea, before becoming an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education postdoctoral research fellow at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory. She has published more than a dozen research articles primarily related to small molecules, catalysis, and polymers in multiple prominent research journals. She is also a co-inventor of three patents and patent applications and presented her research at national and international conferences.
Dominika earned her Juris Doctor at the University of Kansas School of Law while serving as a patent agent.