Practice area
When a patent is infringed — or you are accused of infringing one — the fight happens in federal district court.
Ivan is admitted to practice before federal courts across the country, including the district courts of California, and handles patent enforcement and defense matters on a case-by-case basis. Every engagement begins with a $300 one-hour consultation and a written assessment before any commitment. Patent prosecution before the USPTO opens upon admission to the patent bar.
Federal jurisdiction
Patent claims belong exclusively to the federal district courts.
Enforcement
Infringement claims brought on behalf of patent owners.
Defense
Response and defense when you are the one accused.
Case by case
Matters accepted selectively, after a written assessment.
Where patent cases are heard
Patent disputes come in two shapes. When a patent is infringed — or you are accused of infringing one — the fight happens exclusively in federal district court, with appeals to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Ivan is admitted to all four U.S. District Courts in California, eleven regional circuit courts of appeals, and the Federal Circuit itself — the court that hears every patent appeal in the country.
Ownership and inventorship
Ownership is different. Who owns a patent often turns on contracts — employment agreements, founder arrangements, assignments — and those disputes frequently belong in California state court, where Ivan practices statewide as a California attorney. Inventorship corrections proceed in federal court.
How an engagement starts
Every engagement begins with a $300 one-hour consultation and a written assessment — including which forum your dispute actually belongs in — before any commitment. Patent prosecution before the USPTO opens upon admission to the patent bar.
Common questions
Patent litigation
Do you have to be on the USPTO patent bar to litigate a patent?
No. Patent cases in federal district court are handled by attorneys admitted to that court. Registration with the USPTO is what is required to prosecute applications before the agency, which is a different practice and opens later.
I received a letter saying I infringe a patent. What should I do?
Do not answer it on your own, and do not ignore it. Bring it to the consultation. The first task is understanding what the patent actually claims and what your exposure really is, before anyone commits to anything.
What does a patent case cost?
More than most other litigation, and no honest answer begins with a flat fee. Every matter starts with a $300 one-hour consultation and a written assessment, and fee arrangements are discussed only once the case is understood.
Related
Other areas of the practice
Talk it through with an attorney.
A one-hour consultation by video — $300, credited in full toward your flat fee if you move forward. You leave knowing what you need and what it costs.