Cara Mia Pinto

Of Counsel

Profile

Cara Mia Pinto is a trademark attorney who supports clients across all industries ranging from multinationals to start-ups. She regularly advises on trademark portfolio development, management and maintenance as well as trademark clearance, prosecution, protection and enforcement. Her experience includes the selection and registration of trademarks in the U.S. and abroad, proper trademark usage, navigating opposition and cancellation proceedings, filing trademark applications and overseeing post-registration maintenance. She also advises on privacy policies and terms of use agreements.

Cara is also a registered patent attorney and is methodical in her preparation and prosecution of patent applications before the USPTO. She has a track record of successfully managing utility and design patent applications and has deep experience with respect to surgical techniques and medical devises. She also offers clients strategic guidance on patent portfolio development, maintenance and enforcement.

Cara’s previous roles include positions at K&L Gates and IBM.

EDUCATION

Pennsylvania State University, B.S. in biology

  • Minor: Spanish

Duquesne University School of Law, JD

  • Major concentration in intellectual property
  • Outstanding oral argument award recipient
  • Legal research teaching assistant
  • Duquesne Appellate Moot Court Board, vice president

MEMBERSHIPS

  • Pennsylvania Bar Association
  • Pittsburgh Intellectual Property Law Association
  • Duquesne Law Alumni Association
  • Leadership Council Legal Diversity (LCLD) Success in Law School Mentoring Program, Mentor

HONORS/AWARDS

The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch, 2025

Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, Rising Stars in Intellectual Property, 2022-2024

EXPERIENCE/REPRESENTATIVE CASES

REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE

  • Managed trademark portfolio for a global consumer product company that owns over 1,800 trademarks worldwide
  • Managed trademark portfolios for clients across a variety of consumer product industries, including the automobile and beverage industries
  • Prepared claim strategies and expansion efforts as part of comprehensive patent portfolio management for a Fortune 100 company

Additional Trademark Experience

  • Monitoring watch notices and unauthorized third-party uses of client marks
  • Preparing takedown requests for counterfeit product listings for client products
  • Crafting cease and desist letters
  • Engaging in settlement discussions, when necessary

Additional Patent Experience

  • Conducting prior art analyses to ensure robust protection for her clients’ innovations
  • Advising on invention harvesting strategies and procedures
  • Conducting due diligence analyses pertaining to patent portfolios, license agreements and relevant ownership matters

Bar Admissions

Pennsylvania

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

PRESS RELEASES

May 23, 2024 - 13 McNees attorneys recognized as 2024 Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars®

April 2, 2024 - McNees welcomes intellectual property attorney Cara Mia Pinto to Pittsburgh team

Contact Info

Practice Groups