Knobbe Martens Partner Heungsoo Choi Visits Pine IP Firm to Discuss U.S. Patent Reexamination

On October 12, 2026, Heungsoo Choi, a partner at U.S. intellectual property law firm Knobbe Martens, visited Pine IP Firm’s Pangyo office. The visit provided an opportunity to exchange practical insights on U.S. patent reexamination and consider issues relevant to Korean companies managing patent matters in the United States.

U.S. Patent Reexamination: Procedure and Strategy

In his presentation, “Ex Parte Reexamination: Procedure and Strategy,” Mr. Choi explained the process for reexamining issued patents on the basis of prior art patents and printed publications. He also compared the procedure with inter partes review (IPR), highlighting considerations that can inform the choice between them.

The presentation covered the following topics:

• Requests and the threshold for reexamination: Analyzing prior art claim by claim and presenting a substantial new question of patentability (SNQ).
• Choosing between reexamination and IPR: Considering the requester’s role, costs and the relationship with parallel litigation.
• The effects of claim amendments: Assessing whether amended claims would retain commercially meaningful protection for the patent owner and how those claims might affect the requester’s business.
• Early responses and consistency with litigation strategy: Reviewing the patent owner pre-order paper procedure introduced in 2026 and the importance of considering reexamination arguments alongside positions taken in parallel litigation.

A reexamination strategy needs to account for the scope of protection that may remain when the proceeding ends. The presentation offered perspectives for both patent owners and requesters on aligning their responses with their business objectives.

Practical Exchange on U.S. Patent Matters

Mr. Choi is a partner in Knobbe Martens’ San Diego office with experience in Korean and U.S. IP practice. His work includes patent prosecution, portfolio management, and patentability and noninfringement analysis.

Kang Min-ho, Managing Patent Attorney at Pine IP Firm, said, “It was a valuable opportunity to discuss reexamination procedures and response strategies directly with Heungsoo Choi, who brings extensive experience in U.S. patent practice. We will draw on the practical insights from this exchange to help Korean companies secure patent rights that support their business in the United States and identify appropriate responses when disputes arise.”

Pine IP Firm plans to draw on the practical perspectives shared during this visit when advising Korean companies on U.S. patent matters and disputes. We will continue exchanging insights with overseas practitioners to develop IP strategies suited to our clients’ technologies and business circumstances.