Bernard J. Knight, Jr.* is a partner in the law firm of McDermott Will & Emery LLP and is based in the Firm’s Washington, D.C., office. He focuses his practice on complex patent litigation.
Bernie is among the most respected authorities on intellectual property law in the United States, having served as General Counsel for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s (USPTO) from 2010 to 2013. At the USPTO, he played a leading role in the development of the landmark America Invents Act (AIA), which opens up several paths to challenge the validity of a patent that were not available previously. These challenges will become an integral part of overall strategy for any major patent dispute. As General Counsel of the USPTO, he led the development and legal review of the regulations implementing the new Inter Partes review, post grant review, business method review and derivation proceedings, as well as the regulations changing the United States to a first-inventor-to-file system. As such, Bernie is perfectly positioned to provide insightful advice to clients based on his intimate familiarity with the AIA.
* Not admitted to practice in the District of Columbia. Supervised by principals of the Firm who are admitted to the District of Columbia bar.
