KnobbeMedical.com

Matthew Ruth’s practice focuses on global patent prosecution and intellectual property portfolio management. He is also experienced with issues involving U.S. regulatory governance and antitrust.

Matthew assists clients in a range of technical fields including artificial intelligence, clean energy, electrical engineering, and electromechanical devices.

Matthew received his J.D. from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, where he worked with the Center for Law, Science, and Innovation on matters relating to the governance of emerging environmental technologies and artificial intelligence. Matthew also served as Senior Executive Editor of Jurimetrics, The Journal of Law, Science and Technology. During law school, Matthew worked with small business clients handling employment and IP contracting through the Innovation Advancement Clinic. He also worked as an advocate for small businesses in Washington D.C. on matters relating to antitrust, data privacy, and patents in the year prior to graduation. Upon graduation, Matthew received the Strouse Prize recognizing his contributions to the Law, Science, and Technology program at Arizona State.

Before attending law school, Matthew worked as an independent consultant specializing in geographic data analysis and interned as a telecommunications engineer.

Matthew joined the firm in 2022.

Philip Nelson counsels clients in all stages of growth, from startups to established public companies. To jump-start young portfolios, Mr. Nelson pioneered use of special programs to cut through red tape for rapid patent allowance. For those wanting to preserve options at minimal cost, he has a tested protocol. He especially enjoys laying sophisticated patent minefields, protecting core assets with an eye to the future concept and product pipeline. No matter when he joins the team, he quickly grasps the technology and points to the best options to support the business.

Mr. Nelson builds value for investment and acquisition by working with company visionaries and scientists to describe and protect their ideas. Although the patent office likes to say “no,” he works through the objections, often speaking to patent examiners in person to negotiate for better claims. Collegial persistence and technical tutorials tend to persuade examiners, getting them to “yes.”

Mr. Nelson drafts and negotiates technology agreements and advises on big-picture strategy. When opposing diligence counsel is just pasting in a pat phrase from a template, he uses his experience from the trenches (prosecuting, negotiating, and litigating) to correct the meaning and serve his clients.

Mr. Nelson advises on contested matters, drafts litigation briefs, and works closely with litigator colleagues. He negotiates with his clients’ adversaries to avoid suit or improve litigation positions. When a competitor claimed to own his client’s invention in chemistry lab instruments, he won two patent office “interferences”—and a Federal Circuit appeal—to preserve his client’s ownership rights. He handles complex patent office trials such as interferences, derivations, and inter-partes reviews. He did reexaminations and inter-partes reexaminations back before they were cool (before the America Invents Act popularized Board proceedings).

His physics background and widely varied experience at a top intellectual property boutique for almost 20 years has created a sophisticated advocate for his clients. Mr. Nelson looks forward to helping you assess the field, build your defenses, close your deal, and rain fire on your IP problems and adversaries.