Jon E. Wright serves as Sterne Kessler’s general counsel, overseeing all legal affairs of the firm, including litigation, risk management, ethics, and compliance-related issues. He advises firm leadership and attorneys on policy development, data security, insurance, and investigations. Jon serves on the firm’s client and ethics committees. As the firm’s ethics advisor, he provides ethics and risk management training to attorneys and staff. In addition, he reviews and negotiates contract agreements on behalf of the firm.
Prior to his role as general counsel, Jon was a director in Sterne Kessler’s Trial & Appellate Practice Group and former co-chair of the firm’s PTAB Trials practice and its Appellate practice. During his over 20-year career in intellectual property, Jon focused on contested proceedings before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board, and on appeal of those cases to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. He also has extensive experience in the preparation and prosecution of patent applications in the electronics industry, including software, hardware, communications, networking, and semiconductors.
Before joining Sterne Kessler, Jon clerked at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit for the Honorable Alvin A. Schall.
Jon received his B.S. in electrical engineering from the University of Vermont where he was vice president of Tau Beta Pi, the national engineering honor society, and President of UVM’s IEEE chapter. Through his co-op experience at UVM, Jon worked in semiconductor manufacturing for industry leader International Business Machines. Jon earned his law degree, with high honors, from the George Mason University School of Law. While at George Mason, Jon served as the managing editor of the George Mason Law Review.
In between his undergraduate studies and law school, Jon spent seven years as an Officer in the U.S. Navy Submarine Force where he qualified as a Naval Nuclear Engineer. His tour included three years on the nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine USS TAUTOG (SSN 639) out of Pearl Harbor, HI. He followed that exciting experience with almost three years at COMSUBGRU 7 in Yokosuka, Japan. In his spare time, Jon enjoys alpine skiing, golf, triathlon, and pretty much anything that gets him outdoors with his family.
- Patexia, “100 Best Performing Attorneys Overall – PTAB” (2025)
- Patexia, “100 Best Performing Attorneys for Patent Owners– PTAB” (2025)
- Super Lawyers, “Super Lawyer – Washington DC” (2023 – 2025)
- IAM Patent 1000, “Washington, D.C.: Patent Litigation (Silver Band)” (2020 – 2023)
- Managing IP, “IP Star” (2014 – 2023)
- J.D., George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School
- B.S., Electrical Engineering, University of Vermont
- District of Columbia
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
- United States Patent & Trademark Office
- Virginia
- American Bar Association
- PTAB Bar Association, Board of Directors
- The Honorable Alvin A. Schall, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- Spanish
Industry Event
The Sedona Conference Working Group 13 Midyear Meeting 2025
Reston, VA,
The Hyatt Regency Reston,
September 11, 2025
Webinar
ENCORE: Federal Circuit Appeals from the PTAB and ITC: Summaries of Key 2022 Decisions
Virtual,
February 16, 2023 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EST
Webinar
Federal Circuit Appeals from the PTAB and ITC: Summaries of Key 2022 Decisions – Webinar
Virtual,
February 2, 2023 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EST
Speaking Engagement
Standard Essential Patents Could Profoundly Impact the Smart Grid: What Are SEPs and What Can You Do About Them?
Long Beach, CA,
Hyatt Regency Long Beach,
November 14, 2022 4:00 PM - 4:25 PM EST
Webinar
An Expert Guide to Appeals: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit [Boardroom]
Virtual,
April 28, 2022 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM EST
Webinar
Preparing for PTAB and US ITC Appeals and Potential Litigation Processes
Virtual,
April 14, 2022 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM EST
Webinar
Federal Circuit Appeals from the PTAB and ITC: Summaries of Key 2021 Decisions
Virtual,
February 17, 2022 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EST
Webinar
Current Issues and Best Practices For Appeals from the PTAB to the Federal Circuit
VIRTUAL,
September 9, 2021 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EST
Webinar
PTAB Briefing Webinar Series: PTAB Institution Rates: The Rise of Discretionary Denial
April 16, 2020 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EST
Speaking Engagement
ABA-IPL Spring Luncheon on Trending Topics at the PTAB
San Francisco, CA,
Keker, Van Nest & Peters LLP,
May 21, 2019 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM EST
Speaking Engagement
MIP US Patent Forum 2019
New York, NY,
Convene 75 Rockefeller Plaza,
April 4, 2019
Speaking Engagement
BlockChainge DC 2019
Washington, DC,
Washington Marriott Wardman Park Hotel,
January 14, 2019 4:00 PM - 4:30 PM EST
Speaking Engagement
Patenting Blockchain 2018
The Hague, Netherlands,
European Patent Office (EPO),
December 4, 2018
Speaking Engagement
Round Table on Patenting Blockchain
Munich, Germany,
European Patent Office,
October 22, 2018
Speaking Engagement
2018 IEEE Global Blockchain Summit
Gaithersburg, MD,
NIST Gaithersburg Campus,
September 17, 2018
Speaking Engagement
3rd Annual Blockchain Conference
Washington, D.C.,
The George Washington University,
July 26, 2018
Webinar
The Post-SAS/Oil States PTAB Landscape: A Synthesis of the Most Important Emerging Information
Virtual,
May 11, 2018 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EDT
USPTO Boardside Chat Webinar
April 26, 2016
USPTO Post-Grant Patent Trials 2016 – New York
March 14, 2016
Intellectual Property Owners Association – IP Chat Webinar
February 2, 2016
ALAS Webinar – “It’s a New World: IP Practice after the AIA”
November 14, 2013
Webinar: Patent Owner Strategy in Post-Grant Proceedings
October 3, 2013
Patent Office Litigation under the America Invents Act
March 29, 2012
Patent Litigation at the USPTO Under the America Invents Act of 2011
October 19, 2011