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Joseph R. Re

Mr. Re is a nationally recognized trial and appellate attorney, having tried numerous high-stakes technology cases in the federal courts throughout the country for well over thirty years.

Mr. Re’s trial success before juries has been extraordinary. In two of the most successful patent cases presented to juries, Mr. Re led Knobbe Martens trial teams to help the firm’s longstanding client Masimo protect its ground-breaking patient-monitoring technology. In the first trial, a Los Angeles jury awarded over $134 million against Masimo’s primary rival, Nellcor. Mr. Re successfully persuaded the appellate court to affirm the award and to order the entry of a permanent injunction. Those victories allowed Masimo to settle the case, garner hundreds of millions in damages and ongoing royalties, and go public. In the second trial, Mr. Re and his colleagues asserted Masimo’s patents against patient-monitoring giant Philips before a Delaware jury. That jury awarded Masimo over $466 million and rejected Philips infringement claims for $169 million. The verdict was featured in The National Law Journal’s “Top Verdicts of 2014” as the top intellectual property verdict. After the district court upheld the verdict, and set additional claims for trial, the parties settled in a blockbuster deal where Philips paid Masimo $300 million and agreed to a multi-year joint marketing and sales program in which Philips would integrate Masimo technologies in its patient monitors.

Mr. Re is also an experienced appellate advocate, often selected to argue appeals in cases handled by his colleagues and other law firms. He has argued dozens of appeals over the past thirty years, the bulk of which were before the United States Court of Appeals of the Federal Circuit on behalf of both patent holders and accused infringers involving all kinds of technologies.

Mr. Re served as the President of the American Intellectual Property Law Association and the Federal Circuit Bar Association. He also served on the Federal Circuit’s Advisory Council from 2005 to 2014. Mr. Re has also written and spoken extensively on patent law and federal practice and procedure. Since 1990, Mr. Re has authored numerous appellate briefs on behalf of the American Intellectual Property Law Association as amicus curiae before the Supreme Court of the United States and various appellate courts.

The National Law Journal has named Mr. Re one of the “100 Most Influential Lawyers in America” and as a “Winning Litigator.” The Daily Journal has repeatedly named Mr. Re as one of the top “100 Leading Lawyers in California.” In 2014, Mr. Re was recognized as “MVP of the Year – Intellectual Property” by Law360. In 2004, The California Lawyer named Re “California Attorney of the Year.” Mr. Re’s numerous awards and honors are detailed below.

Before joining the firm in 1987, Mr. Re served as a law clerk to the Honorable Howard T. Markey, the first Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. He became a partner of the firm in 1990.
Clerk Experience
Honorable Howard T. Markey, Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, 1985-1987
St. John’s University School of Law, J.D., Notes and Comments Editor, St. John’s Law Review
Rutgers University College of Engineering, B.S., Civil Engineering, Selected by student body to deliver commencement address, Chi Epsilon – Civil Engineering Honorary Society
State Bar of California
State Bar of New York
Supreme Court of the United States
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
U.S. Court of Federal Claims
U.S. Court of International Trade
U.S. District Court – Central District of California
U.S. District Court – District of Arizona
U.S. District Court – Eastern District of California
U.S. District Court – Northern District of California
U.S. District Court – Southern District of California
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Advertising, Media & Entertainment

Biotech

Diagnostic Tools

Personalized Medicine

Chemical, Industrial & Materials

Building Construction

Construction & Home Improvement

Cosmetics & Personal Care Products

Electrical

Communications Technology

Consumer Products & Services

Aesthetics & Personal Care Products

Electrical, Semiconductor & Computer Technology

Healthcare Information Technology

Software & IT

Fashion & Beauty

Financial Services & Business Methods

Medical Devices & Procedures

Ablation Technology

Aesthetics & Implants

Cardiac Rhythm Management

Cardiovascular

Catheters & Probes

Diagnostics

Imaging

Infusion Pumps

Medical Informatics & Software Systems

Minimally Invasive & Endoscopic Procedures

Orthopedics

Prosthetics & Orthotics

Pulmonary

Robotics

Spine

Stents, Valves, & Loading Devices

Surgical Equipment

Urology & Incontinence

Ventilators

Vital Signs, Physiologic, & Hemodynamic Monitoring

Wound Care

Pharmaceuticals

Antibodies and Immunology

Diagnostic Tools

Personalized Medicine

Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine

Therapeutics

Transportation & Vehicles

Elevators

Advertising, Media & Entertainment Practice
Antitrust & Competition
Appellate Litigation
Copyright
Copyright Litigation
Copyright Litigation
False & Comparative Advertising
False & Comparative Advertising Litigation
False Advertising Litigation
International Trade Commission (ITC) Disputes
Litigation
Patent Litigation
Patent Strategy & Prosecution
Patent Trial & Appeal Board (PTAB) Trials (Post Grant)
Trade Secret
Trademark & Brand Protection
Trademark Enforcement
Trademark Litigation & Unfair Competition
Trademark Litigation & Unfair Competition
Unfair Competition Litigation

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Mr. Re has received multiple awards and has been honored in both national and international forums for his legal accomplishments:

  • Named a “Patent Litigator of the Year” by World Intellectual Property Review’s Life Science Network (LSPN) (2025)
  • Named a Southern California Super Lawyer (2025)
  • Recognized in Lexology’s Who’s Who Legal Thought Leaders USA 2025 guide
  • Recognized in Lexology Index: IP 2025 guide for outstanding Patent work
  • Received “Litigation Star”, “National Practice Area Star” ranking in Benchmark Litigation’s U.S. Guide (2025)

  • Recognized in the “Best Lawyers 2025 Guide” for Intellectual Property Litigation and Patent Litigation in Best Lawyers in America (2024)
  • Recognized for outstanding work in patent law in the 2024 edition of the Intellectual Asset Management (IAM)Patent 1000 Guide” for Litigation (2024)
  • Recognized in the 2024 Edition of Chambers USAKnobbe Martens Partners and Practices Recognized in 2024 Edition of Chambers USA | Knobbe Martens (2024)
  • Recognized by The Legal 500 “United States” for Patent Litigation (2024)
  • Recognized as a Patent Star in Managing IP”s “2024 IP STARS” (2024)
  • Named in 2024 Southern California Super Lawyers for the distinction honors outstanding lawyers based on peer nominations and independent research
  • Named “Litigator of the Year (California)” at 2023 Managing IP Awards
  • Recognized in Patexia’s 2023 PTAB Intelligence Report as a “Top Performer” based on activity and performance before the PTAB
  • Named in Intellectual Asset Management (IAM) magazine’s “Global Leaders” guide (2022-2023)
  • Recognized annually as a leading patent litigator by the “Chambers USA Guide” published by Chambers and Partners
  • Recognized in the 2022 edition of Euromoney’s Expert Guides – Best of the Best USA for Patents
  • Named a “World IP Leader” by World Intellectual Property Review (WIPR) (2022 – 2024)
  • Named a “Leading Litigator – IP Litigation” in the 2023-2024 edition of Lawdragon’s “500 Leading Litigators in America” guide
  • Recognized as a Patent Star in Managing IP‘s “IP Stars” guide for his outstanding intellectual property legal work from 2014 to 2023
  • Selected to the 2007 – 2024 editions of The Best Lawyers in America® for his work in Intellectual Property Litigation, Patent Litigation, and Patent Law. In 2010, 2012, 2017, 2021, 2023  and most recently 2024 he was named Orange County Intellectual Property and Patent Law “Lawyer of the Year”
  • Recognized in The Legal 500 “United States” as being an “outstanding litigator”, noted for his work in obtaining a $466 million jury verdict in Masimo Corp. v. Philips Electronics (2015, 2022 – 2023)
  • Named one of the “World’s Leading Patent Professionals” for litigation in the Patent 1000 guide by Intellectual Property Asset (IAM) magazine (2012 – 2023) and recognized nationally in the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (2023). The 2021 guide applauded Re for having “led trial teams to landmark victories backed up on appeal” with a client adding he “has an amazing ability to connect with juries and a passion for his craft.” The 2022 guide described him as “a master in the courtroom, with an unrivalled ability to communicate complicated technical matters in an understandable way.” The 2023 guide described him as someone who has “put in resonant performances for innovation leaders in important disputes and led many teams to success when there were significant gains to be made or losses to be suffered.”
  • Repeatedly named to the Daily Journal‘s list of “Top Intellectual Property Lawyers”. He was once again named to the list of “Top IP Lawyers” in California for 2023
  • Received “Local Litigation Star”, “California Litigation Star”, and “National Practice Area Star” rankings in Benchmark Litigation’s 2018-2021 and 2023-2024 guides, an definitive guide exclusively covering leading litigators in the U.S.
  • Repeatedly selected by Super Lawyers® magazine, and featured as one of the top attorneys in Southern California and Orange County. In 2017, he was recognized as one of the top 50 attorneys in Orange County.
  • Repeatedly recognized as a “Life Sciences Star” for Patent Litigation in Legal Media Group’s (LMG) “Life Sciences”. In 2018, he was noted in the guide as bringing “more than three decades of experience as an IP attorney, and is well-versed in handling jury trials and Federal Circuit Appeals”
  • Named “Icon of IP” in Law360’s 2016 list of 25 most influential attorneys who have made their mark in intellectual property law over their careers.
  • Recognized as a “Winning Litigator” by The National Law Journal (2015)
  • Named a “Game Changer” in The Recorder’s “2015 Litigation Department of the Year” Awards (2015)
  • Named as one of the “500 Leading Lawyers in America” by Lawdragon (2015)
  • Named “MVP of the Year – Intellectual Property” by Law360 (2014)
  • Named by the Daily Journal as one of the top “100 Leading Lawyers in California” in 2006 and 2015
  • Listed annually in Who’s Who in America®
  • Repeatedly named one of “The World’s Leading Patent Litigators” in the “IAM Patent Litigation 250″ published annually by IAM magazine
  • Recognized by The National Law Journal as one of the “100 Most Influential Lawyers in America” (2006)
  • Listed annually in “The International Who’s Who of Patent Lawyers in Who’s Who Legal – The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers”
  • Recipient of 2004 “CLAY Award” (California Lawyer Attorney of the Year for Intellectual Property) (2005 California Lawyer magazine)
  • Repeatedly named by Euromoney Legal Media Group as one of the top patent law experts in the “Guide to the World’s Leading Patent Law Experts”.
  • Has long received the highest (AV) rating from Martindale-Hubbell, now Martindale.com
  • 1993 recipient of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s 20th Annual Rossman Memorial Award for writing the best article on intellectual property

United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

  • Advisory Council (2005-2015)

Federal Circuit Bar Association

  • President (2008-2009)
  • President-Elect (2007-2008)
  • Vice President (2006-2007)
  • Treasurer (2004-2006)
  • Board of Directors (2001-2004)

American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA)

  • President (2020-2021)
  • President Elect (2019-2020)
  • First Vice President (2018-2019)
  • Second Vice President (2017-2018)
  • Board of Directors (2003-2006)
  • Chairman of the Amicus Committee (1997-1999)
  • Authored numerous amicus curiae briefs for AIPLA in landmark patent cases such as Markman, Festo, Cardinal Chemical, Florida Prepaid, College Savings Bank, Microsoft v. AT&T, and Gunn v. Minton, each before the Supreme Court of the United States
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