L&P’s appeal team is led by Matt Phillips, who has been the principal counsel in numerous Federal Circuit appeals. Matt is a skilled appellate brief writer and regularly appears at oral arguments before the Federal Circuit. Matt draws on his experience as a two-year law clerk to Federal Circuit Judge Alan D. Lourie. As a clerk, he gained valuable insight into the court's procedures and decision making and learned firsthand the traits of effective and ineffective appellate advocacy. He has also held leadership positions in the Federal Circuit Bar Association. He was the lead author of an amicus brief that swayed the en banc court to reverse a panel decision in the Marine Polymer case. He routinely argues appeals from the firm’s PTAB proceedings and also takes new cases on appeal where the perspective and expertise of a new appellate specialist are needed.
The firm is also highly experienced with ex parte appeals at the USPTO PTAB, where the firm leverages its general appeal experience.