Appellate

We are recognized as one of the leading firms for Federal Circuit appeals, with more than 300 appeals over the last decade. For two consecutive years (2024–2025), Patexia ranked us the single best-performing firm representing appellees in its CAFC Intelligence Report. We are also a Top 15 best-performing firm overall over the last five years and consistently rank among the Top 10 most active firms in patent cases at the Federal Circuit.

A Track Record of Shaping Patent Law

For more than 30 years, Sterne Kessler attorneys have helped shape U.S. patent law through appeals before the Federal Circuit and the Supreme Court. Our appellate team has litigated many of the most influential patent cases of the modern era, including Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank, KSR v. Teleflex, and Phillips v. AWH Corp., and served as lead counsel in landmark matters such as In re Beauregard and In re Wands.

This experience lets our appellate lawyers address not only the issues presented in a particular appeal but also the broader legal and industry implications that can shape future patent enforcement, portfolio strategy, and innovation.

Beyond our direct role in Supreme Court cases, Sterne Kessler has prepared amicus briefs on behalf of numerous clients and industry groups in major intellectual property cases before the Court.

Leaders in PTAB Federal Circuit Appeals

Sterne Kessler is uniquely positioned to handle appeals from PTAB proceedings. Our firm runs one of the nation’s most active PTAB practices, and our appellate team regularly represents patent owners and petitioners in Federal Circuit appeals from inter partes reviews (IPRs), post-grant reviews (PGRs), and other America Invents Act proceedings.

Our attorneys understand how Federal Circuit precedent affects PTAB strategy. And, because we regularly litigate in both forums, we help clients develop coordinated strategies that preserve issues for appeal, strengthen the record, and maximize the likelihood of success at every stage of a dispute.

We have served as lead counsel in Federal Circuit appeals from the PTAB for clients including Hopewell Pharma Ventures, Meta Platforms, Netlist, Palo Alto Networks, Roku, Teva Pharmaceuticals, and the University of Washington, among others.