Joel Austin

Worldwide strategic patent acquisition, enforcement and defense

Joel counsels his clients in intellectual property law, with an emphasis on patent acquisition, enforcement and defense in diverse technologies. His clients include:

• Manufacturers of all sizes that are focused on developing strategic patent portfolios.
• Companies interested in asserting or defending their patent rights.
• Businesses looking to better leverage their research and development investments.

Joel begins each client relationship by acquiring an in-depth understanding of the client’s business, ultimate intellectual property objectives and the technology at hand. He draws from his educational background at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his practical experience obtained through his previous role as a mechanical engineer at a defense company to provide thoughtful client counseling.

• Handles various legal proceedings to invalidate or uphold issued patents. He has represented clients with inter partes review trials in front of the United States Patent Trial and Appeal Board and appeals to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
• Protects clients' rights in their product development investments. Joel leverages patent enforcement and defense strategies to counsel clients in the development of intellectual property portfolios.
• Supports clients with patent litigation involving diverse technologies. He also incorporates his post-grant enforcement and defense experience to establish robust patent portfolios to withstand challenges.
• Provides guidance to clients on protecting everything from incremental product improvements to groundbreaking product lines. Joel quickly understands clients’ technical developments and implements business-centric patent strategies.

• Provided patent enforcement and defense counsel in over two dozen post-grant proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, including inter partes review proceedings and related district court litigations. Further defended clients’ rights on appeal to the Federal Circuit.
• Developed robust patent portfolio strategies to enhance client’s presence in the industry, in consideration of both existing products and planned future developments.
• Managed worldwide patent portfolios, including utility and design patent assets in the United States, South America, Europe and Asia.