The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) Legal Experience and Advancement Program provides opportunities for training and development of the next generation of attorneys and patent agents.
Our PTAB LEAP Spotlight Series features current and former LEAP participants, who share their experience participating in this valuable program. We engage with our clients, who collaborate in the program, to provide development opportunities to the practitioners who will be representing them in the future.
Sterne Kessler’s LEAP participation is led by Director Graham C. Phero and Director and PTAB Trials Practice co-chair Jason A. Fitzsimmons, with support from fellow PTAB Trials Practice co-chairs Eldora L. Ellison, Ph.D., R. Wilson “Trey” Powers III, Ph.D., and Richard Bemben. Many directors and counsel comprise our LEAP advisors roster, helping to train and mentor the next generation of PTAB practitioners.
Related Professionals
Steve Pappas
“The LEAP program provides valuable incentives to both firms and clients, which has allowed me to gain actual argument experience at a relatively early stage in my career. The opportunity to hone my oral advocacy skills through multiple LEAP arguments has greatly improved both my proficiency and confidence in arguing cases today.”
Rebekah Holtz
“The LEAP mock argument practicum helped me feel confident and prepared going into my first PTAB hearing. The general thoughts the judges shared about what they find most persuasive during oral arguments helped me tailor the arguments for my hearing, and the individualized feedback they provided gave me specific points to focus on as I prepared for the hearing. My firm LEAP mentors were also a great resource throughout the process—providing a sounding board for ideas on how to approach the argument, sharing their own tips for a successful hearing, and providing helpful comments following an internal mock argument.”
Mike Webb
“I am developing my practice to include PTAB proceedings. Sterne Kessler provides plenty of opportunities to cultivate the skillsets for PTAB success, but it is no surprise that more senior attorneys often handle oral advocacy opportunities. The PTAB’s Legal Experience and Advancement Program (LEAP), along with Sterne Kessler’s familiarity with and support of the program, opened the door to provide this experience for me. The additional oral argument time provided by LEAP made it an easy decision for the firm and client to have me present at the oral hearing alongside one of our directors. The firm provides ample resources to prepare for oral hearings, including a dedicated moot court room to practice presenting and responding to questions in an environment similar to the PTAB. The experience of preparing and presenting in front of the PTAB was invaluable to my development as an advocate for our clients and has given me more confidence for future oral hearings at the USPTO and beyond.”
Dohm Chankong
“My experience in the LEAP program drove home how crucial clear and concise communication is, especially where we need to distill technical subject matter into straightforward, persuasive arguments. It’s easy to hide behind jargon when dealing with complex technical ideas, but feedback from this program taught me that impactful advocacy in our field requires getting to the heart of the matter. To this day, I still rely on that feedback to make my communication more straightforward, a skill that proves invaluable whether I’m advocating for clients or discussing strategies with my colleagues.”
Matthew Metzger
“Participating in the PTAB’s LEAP Mock Argument underscored the depth of preparation needed before an oral argument. Internally at Sterne Kessler, I learned how to prepare for an oral argument from my coach, mentor, and additional experienced practitioners during a number of strategy sessions and moot arguments. I also learned preparation techniques from the panel of Judges, such as the value of reviewing transcripts from past oral arguments for each panel member, which may offer insights into the type of questions they ask and their level of engagement during arguments.”
Daniel Choo
“Focusing primarily on patent prosecution, I do not have many opportunities to argue before the PTAB. But thanks to the various resources available through the USPTO’s LEAP (e.g., mock arguments and extra time for arguments) and the guidance and feedback provided by other directors at the firm, I was well prepared for my first ex parte appeal oral hearing. The positive feedback that I received from the PTAB judges afterwards reaffirmed that not only did I make the right decision in taking part in the program, but that I am also surrounded by many excellent patent practitioners.”
Joseph Venier
“The LEAP mock argument was a great way to get insight into what judges find persuasive and what they look for from practitioners. The judges’ feedback helped me understand what I should focus on when preparing briefs and arguments for PTAB proceedings. Mooting the argument in advance with Sterne Kessler attorneys ensured that I was prepared to appear before the judges.”
