Patent Prosecution
Patent Prosecution, the interaction between inventors, their representatives and a patent office, frequently involves highly complex technical and legal issues. Working through this process requires an understanding of the relevant procedures and the potential pitfalls. What Nixon & Vanderhye brings to the equation is a good bit of creativity to get the job done.
Nixon & Vanderhye is recognized as one of the world’s top intellectual property law firms for patent prosecution. Nixon & Vanderhye attorneys have an average of 20 years of prosecution experience, with many Nixon & Vanderhye attorneys having previously served as patent examiners or administrative law judges in the U.S. Patent Office. The firm prosecutes applications based on previously filed foreign applications, as well as original applications drafted by Nixon & Vanderhye attorneys working directly with inventors. Some Nixon & Vanderhye attorneys have written hundreds of original patent applications. A number of these patents have been successfully litigated or licensed, in some instances to entire industries.
Since 1985, the firm has been committed to high quality patent prosecution services and continues to provide these services to inventors employed at Fortune 100 companies and to individual inventors. Nixon & Vanderhye has consistently stressed quality over quantity in the firm’s philosophy regarding patent prosecution.
Nixon & Vanderhye provides a full spectrum of patent prosecution services including:
- Drafting original patent applications, working directly with inventors to generate detailed written descriptions and claims
- Filing applications at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and at patent offices in other countries through our relationships with firms around the world
- Successfully procuring patents, with Nixon & Vanderhye regularly ranking as one of the top U.S. patent firms with over 15,000 issued patents since 2000
- Assisting inventors to determine if inventions are patentable
- Consulting to develop patent strategies for filing and maintaining patents
- Creating patent drawings in-house, providing significant advantages to effectively convey the concepts of an invention visually
- Obtaining design patents that protect the ornamental features of a product
- Preparing and prosecuting reissue patent applications
- Preparing and filing ex parte and inter partes reexamination requests
Additional experience:
- For more than 7 years, Nixon & Vanderhye has placed in the top 5% of all IP firms in the number of patents, according to the IP Today ranking of Patent firms.
- Nixon & Vanderhye attorneys have a wide range of technical expertise, enabling Nixon & Vanderhye to handle patent applications relating to virtually any technology. Particular strengths include (but are not limited to) consumer electronics, telecommunications, medical devices, computer hardware, software and biotechnology.
- Nixon & Vanderhye has significant experience in USPTO interferences, which are highly specialized proceedings to determine the first inventor of an invention.
- Nixon & Vanderhye is regularly involved in appeals to the Board of Patent and Appeals and Interferences.
- A number of Nixon & Vanderhye attorneys frequently testify in U.S. District Courts as expert witnesses on USPTO practices and procedures.
- The firm’s Virginia office location allows for easy in-person interviews with patent examiners.
If you are interested in legal representation or would like more information, please contact one of our attorneys or call us at 1-703-816-4000.