About Todd M.
Todd M. Oberdick combines an engineer’s eye for detail with decades of patent practice. He began his professional life in engineering and later moved into law. The result is a practice grounded in technical understanding and courtroom experience.
He earned a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from Lehigh University and later received a Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois Chicago John Marshall Law School, where he studied intellectual property law. That technical and legal training informs how he evaluates inventions, drafts claims and frames arguments for judges and examiners.
Oberdick joined St. Onge Steward Johnston & Reens after law school. He spent many years at the firm, progressing through roles as associate, partner and ultimately managing partner. There he handled matters that ranged from patent prosecution to contested litigation, advising clients in industries that rely on mechanical and electromechanical technologies.
In 2017 he left to found Forge IP, PLLC. He started the firm to create a practice that blends patent drafting, portfolio strategy and courtroom work. As founder and partner he oversees case strategy, supervises patent prosecution and represents clients in federal litigation and appeals.
He is admitted to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and holds admission in Connecticut. He also appears in several federal district courts and appellate forums, including the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, the U.S. Southern District of Iowa, the U.S. District of Colorado, the U.S. Central District of Illinois and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. That range allows him to move matters from prosecution to enforcement when clients need consistency across forums.
Oberdick’s practice draws on his background in mechanical engineering. He handles patent prosecution for mechanical and electromechanical inventions, prepares opinions on patentability and infringement, and represents clients in federal courts and before the USPTO in contested proceedings. He works with companies at different stages — startups crafting initial filings and established firms managing large portfolios.
Colleagues describe him as a lawyer who pays attention to technical detail and who prefers clear, practical solutions over dense theory. He favors direct communication with clients and seeks to align patent strategy with business objectives. He now leads Forge IP, PLLC, where his practice centers on patent prosecution, litigation and advising clients on creating and managing patent portfolios.
