Robert Katz Image

Robert Katz

Attorney, Banner & Witcoff

Both nationally and internationally, Mr. Katz is considered as one of the premier practitioners in the field of industrial designs leading the way in the procurement and enforcement of design patents. On behalf of his clients, he has helped procure over 6,000 design patents in the U.S. and over 18,000 design patents/registrations outside the U.S., and has helped to successfully enforce over 100 design patents. Leaders from foreign Design Patent Offices have consulted with him regarding industrial design policies, and he has been named as an expert in multiple design patent litigations.

He is a frequent speaker on industrial design-related topics and has been invited to speak before industry and legal professional organizations on six continents. He has spoken at conferences and seminars hosted by ABA (American Bar Association), AIPLA (American Intellectual Property Law Association), FICPI (Federation International des Conseils en Propriete Industrielle), INTA (International Trademark Association), IPO (Intellectual Property Owners Association), IPR University Center (Finland), the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and WIPO (World Intellectual Property Office). Representatives from the Japanese Patent Office and WIPO have consulted with him on issues of design patent harmonization.

Mr. Katz has written articles addressing issues relating utility patent, design patent, and trade dress rights. Mr. Katz has authored a section of a recently published book entitled Writing Patents for Litigation and Licensing for BNA Publishing. He is currently a professor at George Washington University Law School teaching Design Law and a professor at Georgetown University Law School teaching Intellectual Property Pretrial Litigation Skills.

Mr. Katz is a member of several professional organizations including: AIPLA, FICPI, ABA, IPO, INTA, and IDSA (Industrial Design Society of America). He currently serves as Treasurer of FICPI’s U.S. Section, and as Vice Chair of INTA’s Design Rights Committee. He is a former Chair of the Industrial Design Section for both FICPI and AIPLA. Mr. Katz also serves as a member of the Industrial Designs working group of the AIPLA Special Committee on Legislation, and on an INTA Presidential Task Force on Trademarks and Innovation.