Erik R. Puknys leads the firm’s appellate section. His career in intellectual property began more than 25 years ago, when he joined the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office as a patent examiner.
Erik started his legal career at Finnegans Washington, D.C. office in 1994, and moved to California in 1997 to help open the firms Silicon Valley office. He has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in district courts around the United States, in the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and in the U.S. Supreme Court.
He has worked for startups and Fortune 100 companies in a wide variety of technical fields, including software, telecommunications, computer hardware, semiconductors, medical diagnostics, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals.
Erik is consistently recognized for his work as a leading patent litigator. He has been recognized by The Legal 500 U.S. for patent litigation, and as a leading patent litigator in California by Intellectual Asset Management. He was selected as one of the 75 Leading Intellectual Property Litigators in California by the Daily Journal. Erik was named in The 2015 BTI Client Service All-Stars for “superior client service”.
Firm leadership roles over the years include serving as managing partner of the firms Palo Alto office; as a member of the firms management and compensation committees; and as partner-in-charge of recruiting in the firms Palo Alto office, of which Erik is a founding member.
In his pro bono practice, Erik represented an honorably discharged, disabled veteran, in an appeal from a denial of benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans affairs.
Education :
- George Mason University School of Law J.D., with high honors, 1997
- Vanderbilt University M.S., Materials Science, 1991
- Vanderbilt University B.E., Mechanical and Materials Engineering, 1989
Admissions :
- California
- District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court, C.D. California
- U.S. District Court, E.D. California
- U.S. District Court, N.D. California
- U.S. District Court, S.D. California
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
- Supreme Court of the United States
- U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Professional Activities :
- Federal Circuit Bar Association (vice-chair, Amicus Committee, 2017-present; chair, Model Jury Instructions Project, 2011-present; co-chair, Patent Litigation Committee, 2011-2017)
- American Bar Association
Cost
Rate : $$$