R. Alan Burnett

R. Alan Burnett is a patent litigation attorney with a focused practice in intellectual property law, notably representing patent owners in complex technology disputes. His technical expertise spans software engineering, mobile technology, internet content display, computer systems, and networking, supported by an engineering background that includes advanced robotics, control systems, embedded systems, and medical devices. Burnett primarily represents patent owners, including patent assertion entities (PAEs) like SoftView LLC, in asserting and defending their patent portfolios. While the provided case data lists a defendant-side appearance, this was in the context of defending SoftView's patents against challenges initiated by operating companies at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB).

Operating his own practice, Law Office of R. Alan Burnett, he has acted as lead counsel in significant Federal Circuit appeals. A prominent example is his representation of SoftView LLC in In re SoftView LLC (Fed. Cir. 2021) and SoftView LLC v. Apple Inc. (Fed. Cir. 2024), cases involving patents related to the scalable display of internet content on mobile devices. These cases highlight his experience with patent validity challenges originating from inter partes review (IPR) proceedings. In SoftView LLC v. Apple Inc., the Federal Circuit affirmed the PTAB's application of an estoppel regulation to amended claims but vacated the decision regarding previously issued claims, clarifying the regulation's scope.

Burnett demonstrates significant experience with PTAB and IPR proceedings, actively litigating appeals from PTAB decisions and engaging with the USPTO on PTAB policy, as evidenced by his comments on rules concerning the discretion to institute trials. Beyond litigation, his practice encompasses patent analysis for valuation and assertion, strategic planning and portfolio management, IP brokering, and licensing.

Admitted to the Washington State Bar (No. 29084) and registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (Reg. No. 46,149), Burnett holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Washington State University, an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, a J.D. from the University of Washington School of Law, and an M.S. in Computer Science and Software Engineering from the University of Washington.