Gerard von Hoffmann focuses on client practice in the medical device industry including offensive and defensive competitive strategies, infringement studies, financings, strategic transactions and patent prosecution.
His technical experience involves a variety of cardiovascular inventions, including peripheral and coronary angioplasty, balloon expandable and self-expandable stents, absorbable stents, drug eluting coatings, intracranial access and procedures, drug delivery, abdominal aortic aneurysm grafts, transluminal mitral annuloplasty, left atrial appendage occlusion devices, intravascular brachytherapy, rotational atherectomy, steerable angioplasty guidewires, and a variety of additional diagnostic and therapeutic devices and procedures.
He has been involved in a variety of orthopedic device projects, including ultrasonic total hip revision devices, bone fracture fixation devices, and various devices and procedures relating to the spine, including spinal fusion, mobility preservation, access, nucleotomy, spinal stenosis, and posterior instrumentation.
Gerard has also served on the Board of Directors of CardioVascular Dynamics, Inc. (angioplasty, drug delivery and related intravascular products), Radiance Medical Systems, Inc. (intravascular brachytherapy), Triage Medical, Inc. (orthopedic fixation devices), NeoMatrix, LLC (breast cancer screening), ValenTx, Inc. (implants for morbid obesity) and Osseon Therapeutics Inc. (unipedicular vertebroplasty). He also manages KnobbeMedical.com.
Gerard was featured in The Legal 500 firm rankings editorial section for his focus on the medical device industry and recognized for assisting startup companies Claret Medical and Direct Flow Medical on building patent portfolios.
Gerard has received multiple awards and has been honored in both national and international forums for his legal accomplishments. In 2018 – 2023, he was named one of the “World’s Leading Patent Professionals” in the Patent 1000 guide for Transactions and Prosecution by Intellectual Asset Management (IAM) magazine and has been recognized by The Legal 500 “United States” for his work in Patent Licensing and Patent Prosecution (2019 – 2021). Gerard has also been ranked in the prestigious Chambers USA Guide (2015 – 2017) Life Sciences: Intellectual Property category for his medical device practice. He has repeatedly been named a “Life Science Star” in the Legal Media Group (LMG) “Life Sciences Survey” (2012 – 2018 and 2022 – 2023), recognized as a Patent Star in Managing IP’s “IP STARS” guide (2018 – 2021, 2023), and selected for inclusion in “Southern California Super Lawyers” lists for his work in intellectual property law by Super Lawyers magazine (2004, 2006, 2013 – 2020). In 2013, Gerard was recognized by American Lawyer Media as a Top Rated Lawyer in Intellectual Property Law, and in 2011 was named among the 25 leading biotech attorneys in California and the 100 leading intellectual property (IP) attorneys in California by the Daily Journal. In 2014, Gerard was also named a winner in the 2014 “Innovator Awards” by The Recorder for his work on KnobbeMedical.com.
Clerk Experience
Honorable Helen W. Nies, Circuit Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, 1984 -1986
University of San Diego School of Law (USD), J.D.
Rice University, B.A., Chemistry
Occidental College
University of Oxford
The George Washington University Law School
State Bar of California
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
U.S. Court of Federal Claims
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Medical Devices & Procedures
Advertising, Media & Entertainment Practice
Copyright
Due Diligence
IP Strategy
IP Transactions, Agreements & Venture Capital
Opinions & Counseling
Gerard has received multiple awards for his legal accomplishments:
- Recognized for outstanding work in patent law in the 2024 edition of the Intellectual Asset Management (IAM) “Patent 1000 Guide” for Prosecution and Transaction (2024)
- Recognized as a Patent Star in Managing IP’‘s “2024 IP STARS” (2024)
- Selected by The Legal 500 “United States” for Patent Licensing and Patent Prosecution (2019 – 2021).
- Named one of the “World’s Leading Patent Professionals” in the Patent 1000 guide for Transactions and Prosecution by Intellectual Asset Management (IAM) magazine (2018 – 2023). Gerard was described as “the fulcrum” at the firm, who advises early-stage companies at a “deeply strategic and commercial level”.
- Recognized as a Patent Star in Managing IP’s “IP STARS” guide for his outstanding intellectual property legal work (2018 – 2021, 2023).
- Repeatedly selected for inclusion in “Southern California Super Lawyers” lists for his work in intellectual property law by Super Lawyers magazine (2004, 2006, 2013 – 2020).
- Named a “Life Science Star” in the Legal Media Group (LMG) “Life Sciences Survey” (2012 – 2018 and 2022 – 2023). He was recognized for his patent advisory, strategy & management and general patent litigation/protection practice. Gerard was also recognized for his work in the areas of cardiovascular devices, cosmetic devices, diagnostic implants and prosthetics, neurovascular devices, ophthalmology devices, orthopedic devices, respiratory devices and spinal implants.
- Ranked in the “Chambers USA Guide” Life Sciences: Intellectual Property category for his medical device practice by Chambers and Partners (2015 – 2017)
- Named a winner in the 2014 “Innovator Awards” by The Recorder for his work on KnobbeMedical.com.
- Recognized by American Lawyer Media as a Top Rated Lawyer in Intellectual Property Law for 2013.
- Recognized by the Daily Journal among the 25 leading biotech attorneys in California for 2011.
- Recognized by the Daily Journal among the 100 leading intellectual property (IP) attorneys in California for 2011. He was also included in the 25 Leading Portfolio Managers and Patent Prosecutors list. von Hoffmann was recognized for his patent strategy practice for early-stage companies and IP due diligence for investors in medical device firms.
- American Bar Association
- ABA Section on Patent, Trademark and Copyright Law
- American Intellectual Property Law Association
- Federal Circuit Bar Association
