The HONORABLE GERALD J. MOSSINGHOFF, one of the world's premier intellectual property specialists, serves as Senior Counsel to the firm. He advises the firm and its clients on a broad range of intellectual property matters, including international, legislative and policy issues.
Formerly Mr. Mossinghoff served as an Assistant Secretary of Commerce, Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks and President of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. From 2000-2008, Mr. Mossinghoff served three consecutive terms on the statutory Patent Public Advisory Committee, established to advise the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property on the operation of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). He is currently an Armand and Irene Cifelli Professorial Lecturer in Law at the George Washington University Law School, where he teaches patent law. In 2007 he was inducted into the Intellectual Property Hall of Fame.
Mr. Mossinghoff has served as United States Ambassador to the Diplomatic Conference on the Revision of the Paris Convention and as Chairman of the General Assembly of the United Nations World Intellectual Property Organization. He is a former Deputy General Counsel of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Mr. Mossinghoff advised President Reagan concerning the establishment of the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which has strengthened and brought certainty to patent law in the United States. He also initiated a far-reaching automation program at the USPTO to computerize that office's enormous databases.
Mr. Mossinghoff has served as a patent law expert in more than 300 cases having been retained by the nation's leading law firms on behalf of many of the nation's leading high-technology companies. Additionally, Mr. Mossinghoff has testified before Congress as a principal witness more than 75 times on issues relating to intellectual property law, regulation, procedure and policy, and has written more than 100 articles.
Professional Affiliations
American Bar Association
American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA)
Cosmos Club
Federal Bar Association
International Institute of Teaching and Research in Intellectual Property
Military Order of Malta (Knights of Malta)
National Academy of Public Administration
Accolades
Best Lawyers in America (2012)
Giles S. Rich American Inn of Court Fellow (2011-2012)
American University Roger W. Jones Award for Executive Leadership (1984)
Intellectual Property Hall of Fame, 2007
Jefferson Medal recipient (2000)
NASA Exceptional Service Medal (1972)
NASA Distinguished Service Medal (1980)
NASA Medal for Outstanding Leadership (1981)
National Academy of Public Administration, Fellow (1984 - present), Presidential Rank of Meritorious Executive (1980)
Order of the Coif
Purdue University "Old Master" (1980)
Secretary of Commerce Award for Distinguished Public Service (1982)
Who's Who in American Law, Who's Who in American Education, Who's Who in Science and Engineering, Who's Who in America, and Who's Who in the World
"Who's Who in Intellectual Property" by Legal Times (May 7, 2001), named as one of 22
Resources
News
Seven Oblon Spivak Attorneys Named To Best Lawyers 2012
Thursday, September 15, 2011
The Honorable Gerald J. Mossinghoff to Appear on BioCentury TV Regarding the Microsoft v. i4i Case
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Seven Oblon, Spivak Attorneys Named To Washington, DC's Best Lawyers 2011
Friday, October 29, 2010
Japanese Patent Office Deputy Commissioner and Colleagues Visit Oblon, Spivak
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Honorable Gerald Mossinghoff of Oblon, Spivak Selected for IP Hall of Fame 2007
Friday, October 5, 2007
Japanese Patent Commissioner and Colleagues Visit Oblon, Spivak
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Gerald J. Mossinghoff of Oblon, Spivak Named to Patent Public Advisory Committee
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Hon. General J. Mossinghoff Speaks Before The Subcommittee on Intellectual Property - Committee on the Judiciary - United States Senate
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Roundtable: Reforming the USPTO - The Future of the USPTO Debated
Sunday, February 1, 2004
Oblon, Spivak's Comments to the USPTO on the International Efforts to Harmonize the Requirements of Patent Laws
Tuesday, May 1, 2001
The Honorable Gerald J. Mossinghoff Appointed to the Patent Public Advisory Committee of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Saturday, July 1, 2000
The Honorable Gerald J. Mossinghoff Receives the Jefferson Medal
Tuesday, February 1, 2000
Statement of the Honorable Gerald J. Mossinghoff to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office: Notice of Public Hearing and Request for Comments - Issues Related to the Identification of Prior Art During the Examination of a Patent Application
Thursday, July 1, 1999
Patent And Trademark Office's Campaign To Relax Judicial Review Of Its Decisions Soundly Rejected By The Court Of Appeals For The Federal Circuit
Monday, May 4, 1998
Publications
Improving the Effectiveness of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Thursday, January 15, 2009
The Need for Consensus on Patent Reform
Friday, February 1, 2008
KSR v. Teleflex: High Court's "Obviousness" Ruling No Sea Change in Patent Law
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Statement of the Hon. Gerald J. Mossinghoff Presented to the Conference on Intellectual Property Implications of the Human Genome Project, Washington University School of Law
Thursday, April 1, 2004
Statement of the Hon. Gerald J. Mossinghoff Presented to the ABA/IPL Annual IP Law Conference: The Duty of Candor and Good Faith to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Monday, April 1, 2002
Statement of the Hon. Gerald J. Mossinghoff Presented to the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice
Wednesday, February 6, 2002
High Court Upholds Utility Patents On Genetically-Enhanced Seeds
Tuesday, January 1, 2002
Overview of the Hatch-Waxman Act and Its Impact on the Drug Development Process
Sunday, August 1, 1999
The Economic Espionage Act: Federal Protection For Corporate Trade Secrets
Monday, March 1, 1999
The Economic Espionage Act: A Prosecution Update
Wednesday, July 1, 1998
The World Intellectual Property Organization: A United Nations Success Story
Wednesday, January 1, 1997
The Economic Espionage Act: A New Federal Regime Of Trade Secret Protection
Wednesday, January 1, 1997
U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Key Patent Law Doctrine
Wednesday, January 1, 1997
Remedies Under Patents On Medical And Surgical Procedures
Monday, January 1, 1996
Intellectual Property Protection And The Pharmaceutical Industry
Monday, January 1, 1996
Events
Information Technology Law Institute 2012: Innovations in Apps, E-books, Cybersecurity, Mobile Technology, Privacy and Social Media
Tuesday, April 3, 2012 - Wednesday, April 4, 2012
19th Annual PTO Day
Monday, December 1, 2008
23rd Annual Intellectual Property Law Conference
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Town Meetings on Patent Reform
Friday, March 18, 2005
Town Meetings on Patent Reform
Friday, March 4, 2005
Presentations
The Biodiversity Convention And Intellectual Property Rights: Conflict Or Harmony?
Thursday, May 28, 1998
Statement Of The Honorable Gerald J. Mossinghoff Before The Subcommittee On Courts And Intellectual Property Of The Committee On The Judiciary U.S. House Of Representatives
Thursday, May 21, 1998