Prosecuting patent applications before the Patent and Trademark Office is a substantial part of the firm’s practice. Our partners are widely recognized experts in this area. Legal issues in our cases involve questions of validity, infringement, and enforceability. In addition to obtaining and litigating U.S. patents, our attorneys prepare patent validity and infringement opinions, obtain patents under the laws of many foreign countries, and prepare and negotiate contracts for the exploitation and protection of patented and unpatented ideas, products, and services.

The firm manages client prosecution matters using a responsive and cost-effective system developed and honed over the past 25 years by the founding members. This system employs specialized patent paralegal practice groups that manage and oversee U.S. and international patent prosecution. Our paralegals have extensive experience in managing day-to-day international prosecution matters (i.e. coordinating with international patent firms with whom we collaborate to handle our client matters, preparing formal documents, distributing workflow to handling attorneys, etc.), as well as U.S. prosecution matters (i.e. completing filings, obtaining formal documents, preparing and submitting sequence listings and information disclosure statements). The firm also maintains a sophisticated, secure, and client-accessible docketing system managed by an experienced docketing assistant/annuities payment coordinator.

The patent agent/scientific advisor program at the firm benefits from scientists who are trained in a variety of technical and scientific aspects of patent prosecution, as well as being highly skilled in scientific writing. These scientists are responsible for drafting the technical portions of patent specifications, reviewing the scientific background literature for consultation with attorneys, and searching the scientific literature in connection with patentability and infringement issues. Generally, the billing rates of our patent agents/scientific advisors are significantly lower than those of our attorneys. The use of patent agents/scientific advisors allows the firm to provide what we believe to be the most cost-effective, scientifically-advanced representation available.