Washington, D.C. intellectual property lawyer Kevin Laurence talks about his professional experience. He shares that he has practiced patent law for roughly thirty years, with the latter half of his career devoted primarily to post-grant proceedings—a focus built upon a solid foundation in patent prosecution. A turning point came in 2008 with the In re Swanson decision, which elevated the strategic importance of reexamination by offering litigants what was effectively a “second bite at the apple.” As the implications of that case developed, reexamination became a critical component of litigation strategy, and his work in that area expanded significantly.

The next major shift came with the passage of the America Invents Act in 2011. When the key provisions took effect in late 2012 and early 2013, demand for attorneys experienced in post-grant proceedings surged. In response, he left his partnership at a large regional general practice firm and joined one of the largest patent boutiques in Washington, D.C., where he focused exclusively on inter partes reviews (IPRs), as well as other post-grant proceedings such as reexaminations and reissues.

That period coincided with the formative years of the IPR and PGR systems, when many of the foundational procedures and precedents were being established. In 2017, recognizing the need for a highly specialized, agile practice that could collaborate closely with litigation counsel, he and his colleague Matt Phillips founded a micro-boutique dedicated to post-grant work. Since then, their firm has concentrated on IPRs, PGRs, and related prosecution matters.

In addition to his practice, he has long enjoyed teaching and writing about post-grant law. He and Matt Phillips co-authored a 2008 treatise on reexamination and reissue practice, which later evolved into a comprehensive two-volume treatise on post-grant proceedings. They have presented continuing legal education courses for the Patent Resources Group for over a decade, integrating the treatise into their instruction.

Since 2015, he has also served as an adjunct professor at The George Washington University Law School, teaching a course on post-grant proceedings—a role he continues to enjoy as a co-instructor, combining practical experience with academic engagement in one of the most dynamic areas of patent law.