James K. Folker

James K. Folker is a partner at the intellectual property law firm Greer, Burns & Crain (GBC) in Chicago, where his practice centers on patent prosecution and counseling. His work involves drafting new patent applications and prosecuting U.S. and foreign applications across a wide range of mechanical and electrical technologies. His technical fields of experience include medical devices, liquid crystal displays (LCDs), power tools, computer and optical disk drives, and wireless communications equipment. Prior to joining GBC, Folker spent over three years as a Patent Examiner at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), providing him with an insider's perspective on the examination process.

While the authoritative case list tracks a single appearance for a plaintiff in district court litigation (Conair LLC v. Tehrani Corp et al.), Mr. Folker's career has been predominantly focused on representing clients before the USPTO. His firm biography highlights extensive experience in patent prosecution and notes he has argued and won numerous oral arguments before the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences (the predecessor to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board). He also regularly provides clients with opinions on patentability and infringement issues.

Mr. Folker has been with Greer, Burns & Crain since shortly after the firm's founding. He earned his J.D. with honors from the Chicago-Kent College of Law, where he was a member of the law review, and received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Rutgers University. He is admitted to practice before the USPTO, the Supreme Court of Illinois, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.