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IPotential Names Steve Knauer as Chief Patent Counsel
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
San Mateo, CA – IPotential, the technology intellectual property (IP) experts, today announced Steve Knauer joined the company as chief patent counsel.
Knauer brings 15 years of experience in analyzing and prosecuting technology-related patents to the IPotential team, further enhancing IPotential’s ability to evaluate and monetize patent assets. Knauer will be responsible for managing the analysis and evaluation of patents in support of IPotential’s three business segments, Strategic Counseling, Patent Licensing and Patent Brokerage.
"Our ability to deliver the best possible price for our patent owners depends on our ability to identify and highlight the real value of their patents, and that begins and ends with a deep understanding of the scope and use of the patented invention. Steve’s expertise, knowledge and extensive experience in evaluating patents and the technologies they cover will be a great complement to our management team and a benefit our customers," said Ron Epstein, CEO of IPotential. "Steve’s decision to join IPotential further demonstrates our momentum, making it even stronger by attracting highly talented individuals, like Steve, who brings a substantial amount of patent and intellectual property experience to IPotential. I look forward to continuing the company’s growth."
Previously IP Counsel for Gemplus, Knauer, managed all of the company’s IP matters in the Americas including patent litigation, defending the company against patent assertions, analyzing the infringement of the company's patents, creating assertion-based patent licensing programs, and patent and trademark prosecution management. Knauer, prior to his tenure with Gemplus, was a partner at Flehr, Hohbach, Test, Albittron & Herbert where he prepared and prosecuted hundreds of patent applications on sophisticated technologies, including semiconductor devices, telecommunications systems, computer networks, software, nanotechnology and business methods. Additionally, he counseled clients on strategic IP matters, such as developing and managing their patent portfolios and providing validity and infringement analysis. Before Knauer began his legal career, he was a systems engineer at Rockwell International.
"IPotential’s compelling business model, which is markedly different from typical patent licensing and brokerage firms, attracted me to the company," said Knauer. "By focusing on patents as a business asset, not just a strategic asset, IPotential excels at recognizing the true value of intellectual property and is therefore enabling greater monetization of patents for clients."
Knauer earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles and his J.D. from the National Law Center at the George Washington University. He is a member of the California State Bar and is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
About IPotential
IPotential is the technology industry’s leading strategic intellectual property (IP) service provider that specializes in assisting technology companies with complex intellectual property transactions and strategies including acquisition, sale, and licensing of intellectual property and the creation of business-relevant IP strategies. For more information, visit IPotential’s Web site at http://www.ipotential.com/.
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