+49 (0)69 713 7798-0 (direct)
+49 (0)69 713 7798-29 (fax)
Frankfurt am Main Office

Related Practices

Education

Boston University, J.D., cum laude, 1996

University of Rochester, B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, 1988

Thomas P Canty

Member

Mr. Canty is a co-founder of Leydig’s Frankfurt office, which primarily counsels European and multinational clients with respect to matters of U.S. patent and trademark law. A focus of his practice is assessing potential patent infringement situations and developing legal strategies for resolving such situations to maximize advantage for his clients, whether from the standpoint of enforcing or defending against patent rights. Such strategies have involved the successful use of contentious post-grant proceedings including inter partes and ex parte reexaminations in addition to litigation in U.S. courts and negotiations under the threat of litigation.

Mr. Canty also obtains patent protection for clients’ inventions and counsels clients on patent portfolio development. He has prosecuted patent applications in diverse technical areas before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office resulting hundreds of U.S. patents granted, including several grants of broadened reissue patents. Today, a significant part of his practice involves patent appeals before the Board.

Mr. Canty co-authors with Erik Swanson a regular column in the Mitteilungen der deutschen Patentanwälte, entitled “Aktuelles aus den USA” about the latest developments in U.S. patent law. He frequently lectures a variety of audiences in Europe about important U.S. developments.

Prior to beginning his legal career, Mr. Canty studied at the University of Rochester, receiving a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in 1988 and then working several years in industry as an engineer before attending law school. Mr. Canty’s studied law at Boston University School of Law, where he received a Juris Doctor (JD), cum laude, in 1996. His studies also included a semester at Oxford University (St. Catherine’s College) focusing on comparative IP law.

Professional Affiliations

American Intellectual Property Association (AIPLA)
Licensing Executives Society (LES)
German Association of Intellectual Property Experts (VPP)
Deutsche Vereinigung für Gewerblichen Rechtsschutz und Urheberrecht (GRUR)

Articles and Publications

"Aktuelles aus den USA," co-author with E. Swanson, Mitteilungen der Deutschen Patentanwälte, (regular column on recent developments in U.S. patent law) January 2012, July/August 2011, March 2011, September 2010, July/August 2010, July 2009, November 2008, October 2007
"Inter Partes Reexamination: A Shift in the Conventional Wisdom," VPP Rundbrief, March 2010
"Die CAFC Phillips v. AHW Corp. Entscheidung und wie ein U.S. Gericht den Fall Spannschraube entscheiden würde," co-author with E. Swanson, VPP Rundbrief, December 2005

Speaking Engagements and Presentations

“The New U.S. Post-Grant Review vs. European Opposition” presented at Forum Institute for Management, U.S. Patent Law Reform, Munich, April 2012
“Added Subject Matter in U.S. Patent Practice,” presented at annual Swiss national joint conference of Association of Swiss In-house Patent Attorneys (VIPS) and Association of Swiss and European Independent Attorneys (VESPA), Zurich, October 2011
“U.S. Patent Reforms under the America Invents Act (AIA),” presented at VPP national conference: special seminar on U.S. patent law, Mainz, October 2011, also at VPP regional conference, Mannheim, January 2012
“Patent Eligibility of Business Methods in the U.S.” European Industrial Research and Management Association (eirma) SIG-II Meeting, Prague, June 2011
“Defending Against the Non-Practicing Patent Holder” presented at VPP regional conference, Stuttgart, May 2010
“Inter Partes Reexamination: A Shift in the Conventional Wisdom,” presented at VPP national conference, Muenster, October 2009
“Multi-Jurisdictional Patent Litigation,” presented at Forum Institute for Management, Munich, January 2009
“Die U.S. Reexamination-/Reissue-Verfahren,” presented at Forum Institute for Management, Meisterklasse EPÜ, Munich, November 2007
“Obviousness: Auswirkungen der US-Supreme Court Entscheidung im Fall KSR v. Teleflex,” presented at VPP national conference, Augsburg, October 2007
“Trends and Developments in U.S. Patent Law,” presented at Forum Institute for Management, IP Gipfel 2007, Heidelberg, July 2007
“Patent Enforcement and Patent Infringement in the U.S.A.,” presented at Wissinfo Seminar, Freiburg, May 2006
“Die CAFC Phillips v. AHW Corp. Entscheidung und wie ein U.S. Gericht den Fall Spannschraube entscheiden würde,” presented at VPP national conference, Weimar, October 2005

Bar Admissions and Registrations

Registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
New York

Languages

German