McAndrews, Held & Malloy


	Heather A. Bjella Partner Email. hbjella@mcandrews-ip.com Tel. (312) 775-8000 Practice Areas Intellectual Property litigation Education University of Northern Iowa, B.A., Biology, magna cum laude, 1999 University of Iowa College of Law, J.D., with distinction, 2002 Bar Admissions Admitted to practice in Illinois and Minnesota. Member of the bars of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, the Supreme Court of Illinois, and the Supreme Court of Minnesota. Registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Professional Experience Heather Bjella’s practice focuses on intellectual property litigation involving patents, trademarks, and unfair competition. From implanted electronic medical devices to lighting systems, Heather has experience in a diverse array of technologies. Her experience extends to all aspects of intellectual property litigation including preparing pre-trial and post-trial motions, written discovery, witness preparation, taking depositions, and arguing motions before the court. Recognizing that litigation is not always a client’s preferred method of dispute resolution, Heather has experience assisting clients in alternative dispute resolution and participating in mediation proceedings. One such mediation resulted in a very favorable $8 million settlement for a client. Another investigation conducted in the early stages of litigation revealed invalidating prior art that convinced a client’s opponent to withdraw its complaint and reimburse the client for attorneys’ fees and expenses. Heather also has experience obtaining and enforcing trademarks. She serves on the anti-counterfeiting and anti-piracy committee of the American Intellectual Property Law Association which works with industry and government to develop programs for combating the growing counterfeiting problem. While attending the University of Iowa College of Law, Heather focused her studies on Intellectual Property and Health Law. She served as a student writer and the Senior Managing Editor for the Iowa Law Review. Prior to law school, Heather was a chemist intern for Monsanto where she designed and carried out procedures to gather validation data for raw materials assays, as well as specific gravity, extractable chlorides, and particle size analyses. Back to Top