Law Firms Cherish PTAB Expertise Amid Policy Overhaul

Sterne Kessler’s Managing Director, Michael Ray, recently spoke to Managing IP on the value former Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) practitioners bring to law firms amid the recent changes at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

Sterne Kessler recently hired two former PTAB leaders in 2025, both of whom served at the PTAB for more than 10 years, including Melissa Haapala, who served as a vice chief administrative patent judge for more than 3 years, and Jackie Bonilla, who was the deputy chief administrative patent judge for more than 6 years. These new hires followed Jennifer Chagnon, a former lead administrative patent judge, who joined the firm in 2022.

Ray noted that “We’ve seen increased demand over the last year, and that’s been great for our PTAB practice. How the changes made by director Squires will affect PTAB practice in the long term, I’m not sure.”

He added, “I think some PTAB practitioners in the industry, including former judges, are very nervous about the amount of PTAB work going down because of policy changes. But what I’ve said to our former judges at the firm is that your expertise and advice have never been more valuable than today.”

At the beginning of the PTAB’s establishment, Sterne Kessler emerged as a firm that could provide essential guidance to clients, with few firms experienced in the PTAB area. But as more firms gained expertise, pricing began playing a bigger role in considerations for clients.

Ray stated, “Clients shouldn’t be thinking of who can do PTAB work for the cheapest price, but who can do it effectively.” For example, he notes that getting an IPR instituted has become very difficult, so firms that can provide attorneys who “understand the rules and have experience in predicting what’s going to work” are at an advantage.

With the new year approaching, Ray predicts that some firms may pause hiring while assessing how the changes at the PTAB affect their caseload. He said, “Firms and clients are watching the PTAB now, and I think there could be a cooling in terms of hiring PTAB judges. I don’t know if that’s the right strategy, though.” He added, “For us, our clients have never needed excellent advice more, in terms of the PTAB, than they do today.”

With the need for clear guidance to navigate a changing PTAB landscape, Ray indicated that the value of former administrative patent judges is unlikely to fade.