It is with great sadness that Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt announces the sudden passing of our dear friend and colleague, Steve Ford. Those of us at Schwabe will remember Steve’s creative approach to work, dry wit, and love of the outdoors. Steve was happiest in the water, from sailing on his boat The Blue Martini to scuba diving with friends and family.

Steve knew intellectual property inside and out. He harnessed his technical experience as a design engineer at Texas Instruments to provide the most value for his clients. Prior to joining Schwabe, Steve was a founding partner with Stolowitz Ford Cowger LLP (StoFoCo), the boutique intellectual property firm that merged with Schwabe in 2015. Schwabe CEO Graciela Gomez Cowger worked with Steve for many years and “most appreciated Steve’s deep sense of family. He treated me like a sister, even though he had several sisters already as part of a large eight-sibling Catholic family from Walla Walla, WA.”

After graduating from Washington State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering, Steve went on to earn his Master’s of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington and his Juris Doctor degree from Willamette University. Steve was consistently honored by Best Lawyers in America for patent law. His exceptional contributions extend beyond the legal field to his former service on the Youth Progress Association Board of Trustees and his work with Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest.

We are truly honored to have known, worked with, and learned from Steve. Our hearts go out to his family and friends in this difficult time.