Knobbe Martens is proud to announce that partner Joseph Re has become 2020-21 President of the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA). Re, a trial and appellate attorney with a national reputation for winning high-stakes patent and trademark cases, was inducted today at the AIPLA’s 2020 Virtual Annual Meeting.
“Joe is not only a brilliant trial lawyer, he is also an exceptional leader and selfless colleague whose work ethic and ingenuity exemplify Knobbe’s commitment to our clients and our way of practicing law,” said Steven Nataupsky, Managing Partner of Knobbe Martens. “I speak for all of us when I congratulate him on this tremendous achievement.”
Re is the first Knobbe Martens lawyer to lead the AIPLA since Founding Partner Don Martens served as the organization’s president in 1995-96.
The AIPLA is a voluntary national bar association of over 10,000 members that aims to support IP professionals, foster innovation and creativity, and promote an effective and balanced intellectual property system through advocacy, education, training, and community outreach. As one of the largest IP associations in the world, the AIPLA represents a wide and diverse spectrum of individuals from law firms, companies, and institutions involved directly or indirectly in the practice of patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret, and unfair competition law, as well as other fields of law affecting intellectual property.
As President, Re is charged with representing U.S. intellectual property interests throughout the world and guiding AIPLA’s domestic intellectual property policy. He was President-Elect for 2019-20, and was previously First Vice President and Second Vice President. He has held many leadership roles during his 30 years of active involvement with the AIPLA.
“I am honored to pass the gavel to Joe. He has been an active leader in the IP community, and an engaged and valued contributor to the Association for many years,” commented Barbara A. Fiacco, outgoing AIPLA President and Foley Hoag Partner. “Joe has already made important contributions to AIPLA’s policy efforts and our community as a whole. I have no doubt that, as our President, he will be both a steady hand leader and an inspiration – to AIPLA and the entire IP community. My heartfelt congratulations!”
Re has authored numerous amicus briefs on behalf of the AIPLA in landmark cases before the Federal Circuit and the Supreme Court of the United States. He has been active in many other legal organizations throughout his career, including the Federal Circuit Bar Association, where he served as the President. He also served as a member of the Federal Circuit’s Advisory Council from 2005 to 2014.
“The AIPLA is a very special organization, and its members are what make it so great. Our staff, leadership and members faced the challenges of the global pandemic head on. Our quick response, under the leadership of my predecessor Barbara Fiacco, has kept the AIPLA strong and active during trying times,” said Re. “Because of the dedication of many, our 123-year-old organization remains vibrant and relevant as we connect people who are interested in a common goal – to advocate for a strong and fairly balanced intellectual property system so that innovators, creators and investors can feel confident the law will protect the fruits of their labor and their investments.”
Re is a renowned litigator whose recent accomplishments in the courtroom have included winning a record-breaking $466 million jury verdict for longstanding client Masimo against Philips Electronics North America. Re is also an experienced appellate advocate who has argued dozens of appeals, the bulk of which were before the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, on behalf of both patent holders and accused infringers involving myriad technologies.
The public accolades Re has received over the years include being named one of the “World’s Leading Patent Professionals” by Intellectual Asset Management; “100 Most Influential Lawyers in America” by the National Law Journal; “IP Icon” and “MVP of the Year” by Law360; “Orange County Intellectual Property and Patent Law ‘Lawyer of the Year’” by The Best Lawyers in America; and “California Attorney of the Year” by The California Lawyer magazine, among many others.
Legal training began at a very early age for Re, whose father, Edward Re, was a law professor, federal judge and assistant secretary of state in the Kennedy administration. Re’s mother, Margaret, was also a lawyer. The dinner conversation with his 11 brothers and sisters often revolved around his father’s cases, and he credits his upbringing with providing fertile ground for the making of a litigator and trial lawyer. He earned his law degree from St. John’s University School of Law and a B.S. in civil engineering from Rutgers University, and clerked for The Honorable Howard Markey, Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit before joining Knobbe Martens in 1987.
About Knobbe Martens
Consistently ranked among the top intellectual property firms in the nation and worldwide, Knobbe Martens has close to 275 lawyers and scientists nationwide and dedicates its practice to all aspects of intellectual property and technology law, including litigation. Knobbe Martens serves a diverse group of clients from multinational corporations to emerging businesses of all stages. The firm is headquartered in Orange County, California, with offices in Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C., and enjoys an international reputation for excellence. More information about the firm can be found at www.knobbe.com.
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