R. Wilson “Trey” Powers III, Ph.D., is a director in Sterne Kessler’s Trial & Appellate and Biotechnology & Chemical Practice Groups. Trey also co-chairs the firm’s PTAB Trials practice. He has served as counsel on about one hundred inter partes review and post-grant review proceedings and has extensive experience litigating before the U.S. Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB).

Trey also specializes in the interface between district court litigation and PTAB proceedings, having successfully delivered jury verdicts for his clients well into the eight figures as part of a comprehensive enforcement strategy. He also assists clients with U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) investigations under §337, evaluates patent portfolios, drafts patent applications, and prosecutes interferences, as well as other intellectual property strategic advice.

Trey has significant technical experience in the fields of aging, surgery, stem cell biology, microbiology, metabolic engineering, synthetic biology, and other areas of biotechnology.

Trey earned his B.A. in biology from the University of Virginia and his Ph.D. in molecular and cellular biology from the University of Washington and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. There, he developed high-throughput assays for measuring the life span of eukaryotic cells. Screens carried out using these methods led Trey and his colleagues to discover that reduction in TOR pathway signaling is one mechanism by which caloric restriction extends life span. These findings were published in the Science and Genes and Development journals. Ongoing work in several labs has confirmed that the methods identified by Trey extend the life span in mammals.

  • Patexia, “100 Most Active CAFC Attorneys Representing Patent Appellees” (2022)
  • Patexia, “100 Most Active CAFC Attorneys Overall (Representing Appellants and Appellees)” (2022)
  • Patexia, “100 Best Performing CAFC Attorneys Representing Appellees (Top 50)” (2022)
  • DCA Live, “Rising Stars of Law” (2018)

  • J.D., American University Washington College of Law
  • Ph.D., Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Washington
  • B.A., Biology, University of Virginia, Dean's Honors

  • California
  • District of Columbia
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
  • United States Patent & Trademark Office

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Sterne Kessler and Patterson IP Law Team Up to Secure $12.9M Wirtgen Win Over Caterpillar

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Sterne Kessler Honored as US Post-Grant Firm of the Year at Global IP Awards

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February 7, 2023

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Sterne Kessler and Its Attorneys Ranked Highly for Appellate Practice in Patexia’s 2022 CAFC Intelligence Report

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February 7, 2022

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February 3, 2022

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April 28, 2021

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April 20, 2021

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March 17, 2021

Walter Isaacson’s New Book “Code Breaker” about the inventors of CRISPR Technology features Sterne Kessler Director Eldora Ellison

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February 4, 2021

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January 26, 2021

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December 18, 2020

Fed. Circ. Agrees That Caterpillar ITC Patent Claim Is Invalid

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September 24, 2020

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May 6, 2020

Fed. Circ. Won't Remand Caterpillar's Post-Arthrex PTAB Loss

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February 3, 2020

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February 3, 2020

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Amending Claims in IPR: Objective Indicia May Be a Strategic Guide Post

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PTAB Axes Caterpillar Road Milling Patent Tied To ITC Probe

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September 30, 2019

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August 30, 2019

Arctic Cat Ruling Showcases Growing Split On Post-IPR Args

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July 23, 2019

Caterpillar Hit With Import Ban In Latest Round Of ITC Battle

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In the News

July 17, 2019

PTAB Upholds Wirtgen Patent in Loss For Caterpillar

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In the News

July 12, 2019

PTAB Revives Part Of Wirtgen Patent In Rare Rehearing

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In the News

June 3, 2019

Supreme Court Refuses 'Blocking Patent' Rule Case

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In the News

April 22, 2019

Caterpillar Can't Ax Road Milling Machine Patent At ITC

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Press Release

April 8, 2019

Sterne Kessler Earns Recognition for “Impact” Litigation Case and Patent Prosecution at 2019 Managing Intellectual Property Awards

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In the News

April 6, 2019

Fed. Circ. Won't Revisit Restasis Patent Ruling

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March 7, 2019

Justices Urged To Turn Down PTAB Tribal Immunity Case

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March 6, 2019

Fed. Circ. Won't Revisit Restasis Patent Ruling

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In the News

February 15, 2019

Restasis Patent Redo Bid 'Inappropriate,' Fed. Circ. Told

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In the News

January 10, 2019

ITC Case Won't Stop PTAB From Reviewing Caterpillar Patent

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In the News

November 13, 2018

Fed. Circ. Won't Restore Allergan's Restasis Patent Claims

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In the News

November 6, 2018

Fed. Circ. Urged Not to Stay Immunity Ruling for Appeal

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In the News

October 31, 2018

Allergan, Generic Cos. Battle Over Restasis Launch Plans

Law360 R. Wilson “Trey” Powers III, Ph.D.

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October 26, 2018

Allergan, Tribe Want IPRs Blocked As They Turn To High Court

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In the News

October 22, 2018

Fed. Circ. Rejects Bid For PTAB Tribal Immunity Rehearing

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In the News

September 19, 2018

No Need To Reconsider Immunity At PTAB, Fed. Circ. Hears

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September 7, 2018

States Back Tribe, Allergan Fed. Circ. Bid For PTAB Immunity

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In the News

August 20, 2018

Allergan, Tribe Want PTAB Immunity Denial Reheard En Banc

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In the News

August 8, 2018

PTAB Rightly Axed Alcon Eye Drop Patent, Fed. Circ. Says

Law360 R. Wilson “Trey” Powers III, Ph.D.

Firm Announcements

August 8, 2018

Sterne Kessler Achieves Affirmance of PTAB Decision at Fed Circuit for Akorn

R. Wilson “Trey” Powers III, Ph.D.

In the News

July 20, 2018

Fed. Circ. Says Tribal Immunity Doesn't Apply In IPR

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April 23, 2018

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April 9, 2018

DCA Live's 2018 Rising Stars of Law - Part 3

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In the News

March 26, 2018

Generic Cos. Tell Fed. Circ. Not To Halt PTAB Restasis IPRs

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In the News

March 15, 2018

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Bylined Articles

March 8, 2018

PTAB Issues New Standard Operating Procedure Addressing Remands from Federal Circuit

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In the News

March 8, 2018

Don't Revive Restasis Patents, Generic Cos. Urge Fed. Circ.

Law360 Multiple Authors

Bylined Articles

February 21, 2018

Exclusion of Evidence at the PTAB - Does it ever happen?

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox Multiple Authors

PTAB Strategies and Insights

February 14, 2018

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Multiple Authors

Press Release

January 10, 2018

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox Elects Five New Directors

Multiple Authors

PTAB Strategies and Insights

December 21, 2017

Perspectives on the PTAB Newsletter - December 2017

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Bylined Articles

December 21, 2017

PTAB Issues New Standard Operating Procedure Addressing Remands from Federal Circuit: The New Standards and How They May Affect Your Remand

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Bylined Articles

June 2, 2017

The Evolving Scope of Estoppels Arising from Inter Partes Reviews

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Bylined Articles

April 3, 2017

Top 5 PTAB Tips for Big Pharma

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In the News

November 23, 2016

PTAB Invalidates Claims In Durezol Eye Drops Patent

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Bylined Articles

September 14, 2016

The Post-AIA Battleground For Patent Challenges

Law360 Multiple Authors

PTAB Strategies and Insights

July 7, 2016

Perspectives on the PTAB - Inaugural Issue

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Bylined Articles

July 7, 2016

Hot Topics - AIA Estoppel Provisions Clarified

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox R. Wilson “Trey” Powers III, Ph.D.

Client Alert

August 25, 2015

Post-Grant Proceedings: The Top Seven Things You Should Know About the Proposed Rule Changes

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