Asia

The Firm’s Asian Practice Group counsels and represents Asian-based clients in all aspects of intellectual property law.

Most notably, the Group has represented Japan-based clients for approximately thirty years. The Group has a strong presence in Japan, and a significant amount of the Firm’s resources are directed to representing these Japanese clients. For example, the Group directly represents many Japanese companies of various sizes in virtually all aspects of intellectual property law, including litigation, preparation, and prosecution of patent applications, preparation of infringement and validity opinions, licenses, and interferences. Bruce H. Bernstein, the Group Director, has extensively lectured patent law groups in Japan and the United States on both patent strategy, litigation, and prosecution in the United States, and is the author of several articles (in both Japan and the U.S.) on patentability of software-and computer-implemented inventions in the U.S.

Members of the Group spend a total of several months every year in Asia (e.g., Japan, Korea, China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan) counseling and advising clients. The Group contains numerous members who are proficient and/or fluent in Japanese, Korean, and Mandarin Chinese.

For example, some attorneys in the Group have lived in Japan, and are not only familiar with the legal needs of Japanese clients, but are well-versed with the unique customs of Japanese business. The firm has hosted numerous client trainees who typically stay at the firm for one to two-and-a-half years. Additionally, the Group holds an annual seminar for Japanese trainees living in or visiting the Washington, D.C. area, and is active in the local Japanese community.

The Group includes other former Patent Examiners and other professionals of the USPTO. Collectively, these members have centuries of experience working at the USPTO. Members of the Group include law clerks to members of the USPTO Board of Appeals; a Supervisory Primary Examiner and an Acting Group Director; and former Administrative Patent Judges with the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences, including the former Chief Judge and Vice Chief Judge. The Group litigates in the Federal Courts, including the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. The Group also appears before administrative agencies such as the Board of Appeals and Interferences.

Periodically, the Group prepares and distributes its own newsletter regarding current topics of interest. These newsletters are available at no charge.