Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & FoxP.A.

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & FoxP.A.
Name	Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.A.
Founded	1950s
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Practice areas	Intellectual property, patent prosecution, patent litigation, trademark law
Key people	Michael S. Kasser, Richard L. Garwin, William F. Lee

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.A. is an American law firm based in Washington, D.C., known for its work in intellectual property law, particularly patents and trademarks. The firm has represented clients before the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and in international patent matters. Over decades the firm has advised technology companies, universities, and individual inventors on matters involving standards bodies, corporate transactions, and regulatory interfaces.

History

Founded in the mid-20th century, the firm emerged during the post‑war expansion of United States innovation policy and patent practice alongside institutions such as the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Early practitioners engaged with issues contemporaneous to the Taft–Hartley Act era labor and Cold War technology transfer debates, intersecting with patenting trends driven by firms like IBM and research at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The firm grew amid shifts in intellectual property law influenced by decisions from the Supreme Court of the United States and legislative changes such as the Bayh–Dole Act.

Practice Areas

The firm’s core practice areas include patent prosecution and counseling involving matters before the United States Patent and Trademark Office and appeals to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, trademark prosecution, and intellectual property litigation in federal courts including the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. The firm also advises on standards-setting organization interactions including IEEE, licensing negotiations with corporations such as Qualcomm, Apple Inc., and Cisco Systems, and portfolio management for universities like Harvard University and Stanford University. Their docket historically covered biotechnology, semiconductor, software, and telecommunications matters involving policies from agencies such as the National Institutes of Health and the Federal Communications Commission.

Notable Cases and Matters

The firm has appeared in high-profile patent appeals before the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and participated in inter partes review proceedings at the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Its docket has intersected with landmark matters implicating standards-essential patents and licensing disputes akin to those involving Microsoft, Samsung, and Google LLC. The firm’s practitioners have advised research institutions involved in technology transfer negotiations similar to those of Johns Hopkins University and corporate clients facing enforcement actions reminiscent of disputes with Intel Corporation and Texas Instruments.

Key People and Firm Leadership

Leadership and notable attorneys associated with the firm have included figures who trained or collaborated with practitioners connected to the American Intellectual Property Law Association, Association of Corporate Counsel, and academic programs at Georgetown University Law Center and George Washington University Law School. Senior lawyers have engaged with patent bar proceedings before the United States Patent and Trademark Office and argued matters before the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, working on issues comparable to those litigated by counsel at firms such as WilmerHale, Covington & Burling, and Jones Day.

Offices and Locations

Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the firm’s location places it near federal institutions including the United States Patent and Trademark Office and agencies like the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Commerce. Proximity to universities such as Georgetown University and policy centers like the Brookings Institution supports engagements with academic inventors and policy stakeholders. The firm’s practice has extended to matters involving international filings in jurisdictions like the European Patent Office and coordination with foreign counsel practicing before courts such as the Cour de cassation (France) and the High Court of England and Wales.

Awards and Recognition

The firm and its attorneys have received recognition in listings and rankings published by organizations such as Chambers and Partners, Legal 500, and peer surveys administered by Martindale-Hubbell. Individual lawyers have been cited for expertise in patent prosecution and litigation alongside awardees from institutions like the National Academy of Sciences and honorees from legal associations including the District of Columbia Bar.

Category:Law firms based in Washington, D.C.