In his nearly 25-year career as a patent attorney, John Rauch has helped his clients determine what to patent, when to patent, and how to obtain patents as quickly and painlessly as possible. He has worked with companies of every size, from small start-ups to semiconductor and telecom giants, and has worked across a broad spectrum of technologies, with particular experience advising clients in the electronics, software, and biomedical fields.
John helps his clients and inventors move strategically through patent prosecution, beginning with discussions that pinpoint the invention and clarify the scope of the patent application. His article “What to Patent is a Strategic Question,” which appeared in Executive Counsel, exemplifies the way he thinks forward to help his clients right-size and otherwise manage their patent portfolios.
John tailors his approach to the specific challenges his clients face. For a large semiconductor client, for instance, he conducted “harvesting sessions” to elicit details from the inventors on what was innovative about a particular new chip. In other patent prosecutions, he acts as a fireman, solving problems and making adjustments as necessary to see that an application is allowed. When appropriate, John is a negotiator, bridging communication gaps with patent examiners to ensure successful patent prosecution. At all times, he views his role as problem solver, with each prosecution a puzzle capable of solution.