Richard Kaiser Photo

Richard L. Kaiser

Managing Partner, Waukesha Office

Overview

Rich has built a strong track record in intellectual property law, advising innovators at all stages of the patent process, with a focus on mechanical technologies. He helps clients grow and manage patent portfolios, avoid or invalidate competitor patents, leverage their IP assets, and defend against infringement claims.

Through his extensive experience obtaining utility and design patent protection, Rich has become a trusted, long-term business partner to numerous multinational producers and manufacturers, including Fortune 500 companies. Rich works closely with clients, providing tailored guidance on optimal U.S. and international patent strategies to achieve their goals. Clients value his responsiveness as well as his practical, timely advice and rely on him to manage all their patent needs.

Rich is also the immediate past Chair of the firm’s IP Practice Group. He continues to serve as a leader in the group, championing the team’s growth and focus on providing efficient, high quality legal counsel to clients around the world.

Rich’s work has been honored by leading regional and national ranking organizations. He has been named a “Leader in The Field” by Chambers USA and named an “IP Star” by Managing Intellectual Property magazine.

 

Rich’s intellectual property law practice is broad, including:

Patent prosecution

  • Patentability searching, analysis, and counseling
  • Application preparation
  • Application prosecution before relevant offices

Infringement and validity analysis

  • Counseling clients toward non-infringing designs
  • Preparation of non-infringement/invalidity opinions
  • Monitoring competitive patent activity
  • Counseling on enforcement of patent rights

Post-grant proceedings

  • Inter-partes review proceedings
  • Re-examination proceedings
  • European opposition proceedings
  • Litigation support in infringement cases

Intellectual property agreements

  • Licensing
  • Product development
  • Confidentiality/Non-disclosure
  • Consulting

Experience

A True Partner in Clients’ Strategic Patenting Decisions

Several of Rich’s clients rely on him to work directly with their legal and business teams in planning and executing their company’s overall patent strategy. Rich regularly participates in executive patent review committee meetings, providing candid advice regarding the patentability of new inventions, the value and strategies of worldwide prosecution, and the ongoing maintenance of granted patents.

Providing Insightful Litigation Support

Rich's experience as a patent prosecutor allows him to bring valuable insight to the client team during patent disputes. Working hand-in-hand with the litigation team, Rich helps strategize and execute on the various Patent Office proceedings that typically accompany infringement accusations and litigation. He has been an integral part of client teams assembled to invalidate patents through interference, ex parte reexamination, and inter partes review (IPR) proceedings. 

Educating In-house Counsel on Evolving Patent Law Issues

Since 1999, Rich has been leading the firm in its mission of keeping in-house and foreign patent counsel updated on major patent law changes. From the introduction of U.S. patent application publication in 1999, to the sweeping changes instituted by the America Invents Act in 2012 and 2013, through the ongoing development of law surrounding Post Grant proceedings, and the never-ending saga of the long-proposed European unitary patent and unified patent court system, Rich has given many educational presentations to share the firm’s vast knowledge and understanding of the law with in-house and foreign counsel. 

Honors & Recognitions

  • IP Stars, Managing Intellectual Property magazine, 2015-present
  • Leading Intellectual Property Lawyer, Chambers USA, 2013-2014
  • "Rising Stars" list by Super Lawyers Magazine, 2006-2007
  • IAM Patent 1000 – World’s Leading Patent Practitioners, 2015-present
  • IAM Strategy 300 - 2017-present

Education

Bar Admission

Court Admission

Insights

Education

Bar Admission

Court Admission

back to top