John Kern specializes in patent prosecution, patent litigation, and post-grant review proceedings, offering a multifaceted approach to intellectual property law. His adept handling of inter partes review (IPR) proceedings and appellate practice before the USPTO Patent Trial & Appeal Board distinguishes his work, benefiting clients with his in-depth knowledge of the patent landscape. John's strategic counsel in reexamination matters and his representation of clients in high-stakes district court and U.S. International Trade Commission litigation underscore his comprehensive approach to protecting and defending intellectual property rights.
As a partner at Merchant in the Washington D.C. Area office, John is a member of the Electrical Practice Group. Leveraging his engineering background and technological insight, he adeptly addresses complex patent issues in various industries, including semiconductor devices, communication networks, medical devices, and automotive technologies. John's command of video coding/compression, display devices, printers, microlithography, nanotechnology, and analog/digital circuit design equips him to advise clients at the forefront of innovation.
John's experience as an electrical engineer informs his pragmatic view when drafting and prosecuting patent applications, ensuring they are robust and defensible. Beyond his patent-centric services, John is skilled in delivering infringement and validity opinions, formulating claims to address industry standards, and overseeing patent pool evaluations and administration. His commitment to intellectual property law is reflected in the trust and success of his clients, which include industry leaders in the semiconductor, telecommunications, and information technology sectors.