Law360 analyzed the firms with the most wins at the Federal Circuit in 2017, and Finnegan ranked second with 10 wins. The most notable victory for the firm at the Federal Circuit in 2017 was in Aqua Products, Inc. v. Matal, a significant case in which the court held that petitioners carry the burden of proof when showing that proposed claim amendments are unpatentable. Finnegan partner Erik Puknys, who leads the firm's appellate section, said, "[The decision] gives patent owners a lot more freedom to craft claims that are more appropriate for the kind of situation that they’re in."
Erik also discussed the firm's success at the Federal Circuit over the years, citing Finnegan's long-standing history before the court, the firm's ability to recruit top IP attorneys, and the more seasoned attorneys sharing their skills with the generations that follow. He said, "You have the founding generation of the firm training and mentoring, and then passing the baton to the subsequent generations, and I think we’ve done an especially good job of that."
Erik also highlighted the firm's approach to training attorneys to argue at the Federal Circuit, which does not limit newer attorneys from arguing in front of the court. In 2017, Finnegan had 15 attorneys argue before the Federal Circuit. Erik said, "I love seeing so many attorneys getting up there to argue, and some first-timers, too."
