Joseph F. Hetz
Overview
Joseph F. Hetz is known for his creative, value-added approach to helping clients develop portfolios that can be monetized or otherwise used to satisfy strategic needs and commercial objectives, all while meeting budget. Joe has represented clients of all sizes, from Fortune 500 companies to startups, and has prosecuted over 5,000 U.S. and foreign patent applications, many gaining national media attention and generating millions of dollars in licensing fees.
Joe focuses his practice on patent prosecution with a technical concentration in digital transformation, memory systems, data privacy and encryption, computer systems and peripherals, semiconductors, software, industrial sensors, communications systems, internet/e-commerce/business method inventions, medical devices, digital farming, and CNC and forming machinery. In addition to prosecution before the U.S. and international patent offices, Joe has been involved in reexamination, reissue, and inter partes review proceedings and is one of a handful of patent attorneys to have ever been involved in a public use proceeding.
Career & Education
- Northwestern University School of Law
Adjunct Professor of Law, Patent Prosecution, Spring 2010 – Spring 2014 - Loyola University Chicago School of Law
Adjunct Professor of Law, Patent Prosecution, Spring 2009 - Valparaiso University School of Law
Adjunct Professor of Law, Patent Prosecution, Fall 2007 and 2008
- Northwestern University School of Law
- Northwestern University, B.S., With Distinction and Departmental Honors, Electrical Engineering, 1993
- University of Michigan Law School, J.D., 1996
- Illinois
- U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
Professional Activities and Memberships
- AIPLA (American Intellectual Property Law Association)
- CARPLS (Coordinated Advice & Referral Program for Legal Services)
Board of Directors, 2013 – 2020 - IPLAC (Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago)
Vice-Chair of the U.S. Patents Committee, 2012 – 2014
Pro-Bono Steering Committee Representative, 2013 – 2014 - IPO (Intellectual Property Owners Association)
Joe serves as co-chair of the Patent Prosecution Practice Group and has vast experience filing applications and seeing them through to successful grant. He sees patent procurement through a commercial lens …
— IAM Patent 1000, 2022
Joseph's Insights
Firm News | 2 min read | 06.06.24
IAM Ranks Crowell & Moring in Patent 1000 2024
Washington – June 6, 2024: Intellectual Asset Management recognized Crowell & Moring in its IAM Patent 1000 – The World’s Leading Patent Practitioners guide, awarding the firm a gold band ranking as one of the top three firms handling patent litigation and transactions in Belgium, and a silver ranking for the firm’s Chicago office. The firm was also recommended nationally in the United States for trade secrets litigation. This marks the eleventh consecutive year that the firm has been ranked in the guide in Belgium.
Speaking Engagement | 11.16.23
Intellectual Property Committee Meeting: Artificial Intelligence and Patentability
Firm News | 2 min read | 06.26.23
Publication | 03.30.23
Representative Matters
- Managing different teams for preparing and prosecuting patent applications, portfolio analysis, opinions, and general counseling for a memory device company (20+ years), a medical diagnostic company (15+ years), a telecommunications company (15+ years), and a manufacturer of recreation equipment (10+ years).
- Managing a patent portfolio of over 200 matters for a diversified, global supplier of infrastructure equipment with billions of dollars in revenue, with thousands of employees over dozens of operating companies in dozens of countries.
- Proactively mining inventions and building robust patent portfolio for many dozens of companies, large and small.
- Inter Partes Review (IPR) Nos. IPR2014-00411/434 (U.S. Patent Nos. 8,426,813 and 8,193,496) and IPR2015-00065 (U.S. Patent No. 8,426,813). Represented Petitioner challenging patents directed to chemical leak inspection system and methods for performing inspections and detecting chemical leaks using an infrared camera system.
- Director-Initiated Reexamination Nos. 90/006,633 and 90/006,634. Represented Patent Owner against challenges by the Director of the USPTO on early patents covering Internet browsers.
- Public Use Proceeding for Patent Application No. 08/746,360. Represented Petitioner in a public use proceeding challenging a patent application directed to medical ultrasonic imaging using native tissue harmonics.
Joseph's Insights
Firm News | 2 min read | 06.06.24
IAM Ranks Crowell & Moring in Patent 1000 2024
Washington – June 6, 2024: Intellectual Asset Management recognized Crowell & Moring in its IAM Patent 1000 – The World’s Leading Patent Practitioners guide, awarding the firm a gold band ranking as one of the top three firms handling patent litigation and transactions in Belgium, and a silver ranking for the firm’s Chicago office. The firm was also recommended nationally in the United States for trade secrets litigation. This marks the eleventh consecutive year that the firm has been ranked in the guide in Belgium.
Speaking Engagement | 11.16.23
Intellectual Property Committee Meeting: Artificial Intelligence and Patentability
Firm News | 2 min read | 06.26.23
Publication | 03.30.23
Recognition
- Intellectual Asset Management: IAM Patent 1000: The World’s Leading Patent Practitioners, Leading Patent Practitioner, 2014-2022
- Law Bulletin Publishing Company: Leading Lawyers Network, Intellectual Property Lawyer, 2010-2019
- Super Lawyers: Intellectual Property, 2009-2020
Joseph's Insights
Firm News | 2 min read | 06.06.24
IAM Ranks Crowell & Moring in Patent 1000 2024
Washington – June 6, 2024: Intellectual Asset Management recognized Crowell & Moring in its IAM Patent 1000 – The World’s Leading Patent Practitioners guide, awarding the firm a gold band ranking as one of the top three firms handling patent litigation and transactions in Belgium, and a silver ranking for the firm’s Chicago office. The firm was also recommended nationally in the United States for trade secrets litigation. This marks the eleventh consecutive year that the firm has been ranked in the guide in Belgium.
Speaking Engagement | 11.16.23
Intellectual Property Committee Meeting: Artificial Intelligence and Patentability
Firm News | 2 min read | 06.26.23
Publication | 03.30.23
Insights
Speaking Engagement | 11.16.23
Microwave Induced Polymerization of Monomer Impregnated Hardened Cement
|01.01.94
MRS Online Proceedings Library, Volume 347, pp. 711–715
Intellectual Property Committee Meeting: Artificial Intelligence and Patentability
|11.16.23
Joseph's Insights
Firm News | 2 min read | 06.06.24
IAM Ranks Crowell & Moring in Patent 1000 2024
Washington – June 6, 2024: Intellectual Asset Management recognized Crowell & Moring in its IAM Patent 1000 – The World’s Leading Patent Practitioners guide, awarding the firm a gold band ranking as one of the top three firms handling patent litigation and transactions in Belgium, and a silver ranking for the firm’s Chicago office. The firm was also recommended nationally in the United States for trade secrets litigation. This marks the eleventh consecutive year that the firm has been ranked in the guide in Belgium.
Speaking Engagement | 11.16.23
Intellectual Property Committee Meeting: Artificial Intelligence and Patentability
Firm News | 2 min read | 06.26.23
Publication | 03.30.23
