Scott Weidenfeller rejoined Covington from the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) where he served as Vice Chief Administrative Patent Judge. In this role he had significant responsibility for developing, implementing, and communicating Board policy. Scott helped lead the Board’s efforts in implementing the Supreme Court’s rulings in United States v. Arthrex, SAS Institute Inc. v. Iancu, and Oil States Energy Services, LLC v. Greene’s Energy Group, LLC., as well as numerous other court decisions. He also presided over post-issuance proceedings from filing through final decision.
Prior to serving as a Vice Chief APJ, Scott worked in the Office of the Solicitor at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), first as an Associate Solicitor and then as Senior Counsel for Patent Law and Litigation. He also served as Acting Deputy Solicitor. His primary responsibilities in these roles included managing litigation against the USPTO involving the America Invents Act (AIA), including challenges to PTAB post-issuance proceedings. Scott also oversaw the USPTO’s decisions on whether to intervene in appeals from PTAB decisions in both AIA post-issuance proceedings and inter partes reexaminations, and he advised the USPTO regarding the rules governing post-issuance proceedings. His responsibilities in the Solicitor’s Office also included defending PTAB decisions in cases before the district courts and the U.S. Court of Appeals, where he argued 18 appeals. During his time at the USPTO, Scott also has played an important role on every patent-related case that was heard by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Prior to his time at the USPTO, Scott was a Covington associate specializing in patent litigation. He worked on over a dozen cases in district courts and in the Federal Circuit. He analyzed patents and prior art, worked with technical experts, drafted merits briefings, took depositions, and conducted oral arguments. Now that he has rejoined the firm, he will continue to focus on PTAB trials as well as patent matters in the district and appellate courts, leveraging his deep understanding of the way patent matters are handled in each forum.
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