Meet Joe
Joseph M.
Baillargeon
A technical background.
A practical approach to patent law.
I’m a registered patent attorney and the editor behind Patent Law Joe. My background spans patent litigation, examining inventions at the USPTO, and technical service in the U.S. Navy.
Patent law, from more than one side.
Legal practice, patent examination, and technical training are different ways of looking at an invention. Each is part of the experience I bring to this site.
Since 2021
Working with patents in practice.
As an IP litigation associate at national law firms, my work has included district court patent litigation, inter partes reviews for patent owners and petitioners, and prosecution of software, machine learning, and e-commerce applications.
Read the case notes2016–2020
Examining inventions at the USPTO.
I served as a patent examiner at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, examining applications in electromechanics, lasers, semiconductor manufacturing, and microwaves.
Explore the patent guides2004–2013
A foundation in technical work.
I served as a nuclear reactor operator and plant supervisor in the U.S. Navy. My later studies included engineering science and mechanics, physics, and computer science.
See my educationThe background
behind the byline.
- M.S., Computer ScienceJohns Hopkins University
- J.D.Georgetown University Law CenterTechnology Law & Policy Scholar; Georgetown Law Technology Review
- B.S., Engineering Science and Mechanics, magna cum laude, minor in MathematicsVirginia Tech
- B.A., Physics, magna cum laudeVirginia Tech
- Naval Nuclear Power School
I run Patent Law Joe through PatentLawJoe LLC, a Virginia company. I edit the guides and review the “Why it matters” notes on precedential decisions in the case blog. Patent Law Joe was formerly Patent Law University.
Approved notes identify the reviewer and date. Our editorial policy explains AI use, checks, and corrections.
Patent Law Joe is my illustrated character. The person responsible for the site’s content is Joseph M. Baillargeon. The character’s voice on The Friday Patent Report is generated by AI.
Keep in touch.
For questions about the site, or to point out something that needs a closer look.