About our founder:
Rick Knight is an accomplished patent professional
with extensive experience in both private practice
and high-tech industry. Before founding RKWPC,
Rick was Executive Director and Chief Patent
Counsel for USAA. Prior to that Rick spent several
years in private practice with Woodcock Washburn
LLP (Seattle) and Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
LLP (Austin). Rick also spent time as an executive management consultant and U.S. Army commissioned officer. Rick earned a bachelor of science degree in computer science at U.S. Military Academy at West Point, a JD/MBA from the University of Texas at Austin, and completed advanced IP/legal studies at the University of London. Rick is a member of the State Bar of Texas and registered to practice before the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office.
About our firm:
- RWKPC is a "Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business" (SDVOSB), one of the only patent law firms in the country to be so designated.
- RWKPC is a founding member of the Quality Patent Consortium (QPC), a professional organization of experienced patent professionals providing patent and IP related services through RWKPC as of counsel to the firm.
- Through QPC, the firm comprises a small but highly experienced group of senior attorneys together providing premium legal services to a select group of sophisticated clients. Most of our attorneys have worked at large- or mid-size law firms, and several possess advanced degrees. Many have also worked as engineers, scientists, managers, consultants, or in-house counsel.
- RWKPC's "Patent Factory Services" for patent prosecution—i.e., drafting and filing patent applications, as well as responding to examination actions for patent applications in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO)—features flat-fee pricing and summary invoicing to facilitate maximum efficiency and provide clients with predictable and manageable costs.
- RWKPC's “Virtual Patent Executive” (VPE) program provides specialized “in-house” legal services to companies that need senior-level patent expertise (for strategy development, process planning, and program management) on a dedicated, part-time, reduce-cost basis. A typical engagement is for 200 hours of personal service (with a 400-hour option also available) that is performed over a twelve-month period on a flat-fee discounted rate payable in five installments. This program is particularly well-suited for mid-size companies that need in-house patent counsel with operations management expertise but are not yet ready to bear the costs for a full-time patent professional. Additional information is available upon request.
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