Patent Procurement

CRK is deeply involved in mining USPTO examiner analytics. Using various software tools, we can compare a company’s number of office actions to allowance before an Examiner (or Art Unit or Technology Center) to an average pendency for that entity. This prosecution efficiency is important. For example, if a provider is only 15% more efficient (e.g., achieving allowance in an average of 2.75 office actions when a competitor takes an average of 3.25) the savings can be substantial in a large patent family.

Within the patent procurement practice area, CRK excels at global portfolio (patent family) management. For example, CRK manages 5000 pending applications worldwide. CRK attorneys have experience substantively directing prosecution in over 60 jurisdictions. We also have developed a network of foreign associates who share our values of being nimble, innovative, and responsive. CRK’s network of foreign associates benefits our clients through better communication.

CRK has attorneys with education and experience in diverse fields, including electrical, software, mechanical, chemical, and medical device technology sectors. Drawing from this deep bench, CRK can quickly get up to speed on your technology, thereby reducing cost inefficiencies.

CRK provides top-level attorneys at fair billing rates. CRK’s experienced attorneys can spend relatively more time on matters as compared to firms with inflated billing rates (which causes work to be pushed down to less experienced attorneys). This model is highly valued by in-house patent departments. On the other hand, CRK is rarely an option for those seeking the lowest billing rates.

CRK attorneys interview early in prosecution to resolve issues more quickly (reducing cost-to-allowance). By using examiner data, CRK knows about an examiner’s allowance rate, experience, case load, and appeal behavior —before we get on the phone.