John A. Rafter, Jr.

Experience

John Rafter is a partner of the firm practicing in the Intellectual Property group. His background includes experience obtaining patents for clients in a wide range of technology fields such as mechanical, optical systems and bar code scanning, medical products, cleantech and wind, computer technology and software, internet/business method, motion picture/video equipment and lighting. He is experienced in managing major client patent portfolios, preparing patent opinion letters and negotiating licenses. He has also represented clients in enforcing or defending intellectual property rights via patent, trademark and trade dress litigation in several districts of the federal courts, patent interference proceedings before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Board of Appeals and Interferences and trademark opposition proceedings.

Representative Work

Reported Cases

• Disc Golf Assoc. v. Champion Discs, Inc., 158 F.3d 1002 (Fed. Cir. 1998)
• MacPike v. American Honda Motor Co. Inc., 29 USPQ 2d 1526 (N.D. Fl 1993)

Professional Honors & Activities

• Selected as one of "America's Leading Lawyers for Business" (Oregon) by Chambers USA (currently: Intellectual Property), 2009-2011
• Member, TechAmerica, chair, Technology and Intellectual Property Committee, Oregon Chapter, 2007-present (chair 2009-10)
• Member, Planning Committee, Oregon Chapter, Licensing Executives Society
• Member, Oregon Patent Law Association
• Member, American Bar Association
• Member, Multnomah Bar Association
• Former member, Tech Coast Venture Network, Orange County, CA

Presentations

• Speaker, "Names to Name Calling: Defending Your Brand , Label and Trademarks," Zino Vino: Liquid Assets Forum, July 2010
• Speaker, "IP Beyond ID: Leveraging Trade Dress to Enhance and Develop Brand," Licensing Executives Society, Portland, OR, 2009
• Speaker, "Protect What Makes Your Business Unique: What Every Small Business Needs To Know About Intellectual Property," Lewis & Clark Law School's Small Business Legal Clinic, 2009-2010
• Speaker, "Basics in Acquiring, Protecting and Licensing of IP," Oregon Public Procurement Conference, Salem, OR ,2008
• Moderator, "Spending Your IP Budget Wisely to Create a Strategic and Valuable IP Portfolio," AeA Technology and IP Series, Portland, OR, 2007
• Moderator, "The Entrepreneur and the Law of Intellectual Property," InnoTech Oregon Business & Technology Innovation Conference, 2006
• Moderator, "Intellectual Property Management" workshop, Micro Nano Breakthrough Conference, 2005
• Moderator, "Don't Just Get a Patent; Create an IP Portfolio That Generates Company Value and Attracts Investment," InnoTech Oregon Business & Technology Innovation Conference, 2005
• Speaker, "Energizing Your Patent Portfolio," Stoel Rives LLP Intellectual Property Series, 2004
• Speaker, "Beyond Patent 101," InnoTech Oregon Business & Technology Innovation Conference, 2004
• Speaker, "Knocking off Knock-offs," Stoel Rives LLP Intellectual Property Series, 2003
• Speaker, "American Inventors Protection Act & Changes to Patent Regulations," Orange County Patent Law Association and San Diego Intellectual Patent Law Association Spring Seminar, 2001

Publications

• Contributor to the Stoel Rives "Law of" Series - Law of Marine and Hydrokinetic Energy (2011)
• Oregon Patent Report (2008-10; 2007; 2006)
• Contributor to the Stoel Rives' Oregon Patent Litigation Tracker Blog
• "Intellectual Property – Protection and Pitfalls," The Law of Marine and Hydrokinetic Energy: A Guide to Business and Legal Issues, Stoel Rives LLP, Vol 4, 2011 (formerly The Law of Ocean and Tidal Energy.)
• "Patent Strategies in Light of Fast-Changing Technology," The National Law Journal, 1997

Education

• Loyola Law School of Los Angeles, J.D., 1986
• University of Notre Dame, B.S. Mechanical Engineering, 1979

Admissions

• Oregon
• California
• U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
• U.S. District Court for the Central and Northern Districts of California
• U.S. District Court, Oregon
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

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