Robert Greene Sterne is a director of Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox in the Electronics Practice Group. Sterne has been involved in some of the most consequential patent cases that have paved the way for some of the most tech-savvy companies to cultivate and commercialize their innovations. And in turn, these companies, have established new markets and defined new industries. He had an important role as co-counsel in KSR International Co. v. Teleflex, Inc., one of the most significant U.S. Supreme Court patent cases in the past 50 years because it finally answered the fundamental question of when an invention is “obvious” and therefore not patentable. Sterne was successful patent reexamination counsel for i4i in Microsoft Corp. v. i4i Limited Partnership, the U.S. Supreme Court patent case that reaffirmed the presumption of validity of patents in district court suits. Rob was the lead attorney in In re Beauregard, a groundbreaking case in the early 90s brought by IBM at the Federal Circuit, which established that a computer program functionality on a disk was patentable subject matter. The case resulted in the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issuing their software patent guidelines, which dramatically expanded the scope of patent protection for software and produced an explosion in software-related U.S. patents. During this time period, Sterne was a leading attorney in patent protection and enforcement of software-related, artificial intelligence, and expert system U.S. patents.
Sterne serves as an IP strategic advisor to start ups, emerging companies, and investors. He has authored some of the leading articles on board of director IP responsibility and the chief intellectual property officer. And over the years, his extensive practice has grown to include handling all phases of patent practice, including USPTO litigation, Federal Circuit and Supreme Court appeals, litigation in the district courts and the United States International Trade Commission (ITC), as well as patent licensing and monetization. Sterne is one of the leading attorneys in the new PTAB proceedings; he and his firm are consistently those with the highest number of proceedings before the PTAB.
Rob has served as an advisor to associates participating in the PTAB’s Legal Experience and Advancement Program (LEAP), which provides associates with training and development opportunities in PTAB proceedings, including oral argument. He currently serves as chairman of the board of directors of The Sedona Conference, where he focuses on Sedona’s IP thought leadership.
