Karl Renner

W. Karl Renner is a highly experienced patent litigation attorney and a recognized leader in post-grant patent proceedings, currently serving as a Principal and the leader of Fish & Richardson's Post-Grant Practice. Based in the firm's Washington, D.C. and Dallas offices, he also holds a position on the firm's management committee. His practice is heavily focused on client counseling, strategic patent prosecution, and contentious inter partes and ex parte post-grant and reissue work before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB).

Mr. Renner's technical expertise spans a broad range of electrical, computer-related, physics, and mechanical arts. His extensive experience covers technologies such as internet-driven solutions, network systems and protocols, data storage, microprocessor architecture, mobile communications, display technologies, semiconductor devices, signal and image processing, complex optical and mechanical devices, cryptography, telecommunications, financial processes, and acoustics. He also draws on prior engineering experience from his time with the U.S. Department of Energy, where he worked on control systems, optical imaging, computer programming, and circuit design.

A prominent figure in the PTAB arena, Mr. Renner has provided direction for over 900 America Invents Act (AIA) post-grant matters, representing both patent owners and challengers. While his firm, Fish & Richardson, handles a significant volume of PTAB work largely on behalf of petitioners, he is adept at navigating both sides of these proceedings. He previously served as President of the PTAB Bar Association, of which he was a founding director, and is consistently recognized as one of the most active attorneys before the PTAB. His notable engagements include representing Apple Inc. as a petitioner in an inter partes review against Resonant Systems Inc. (IPR2024-00807), where claims were invalidated.

Mr. Renner earned his J.D. from George Washington University Law School in 1998 and holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland, awarded in 1992. He is a frequent author and lecturer on intellectual property matters, particularly those concerning PTAB practice and IPRs.