Robert H. Sloss
Partner
Admissions
California
Address
3000 El Camino Real | 5 Palo Alto Square Suite 400, Palo Alto, CA 94306
Office Tel.
650.645.9024
Fax
650.687.8324
Overview
Bob advises clients on matters pertaining to intellectual property counseling and litigation. He has broad experience in litigating patents related to a variety of technologies, including software, computer peripherals, mechanical devices and biotechnology, as well as matters involving copyright, trademark and trade secrets. Bob leverages his experience as a senior in-house lawyer at a major technology company to provide a unique set of skills to resolve clients’ legal disputes. He leads Procopio’s IP Litigation team.
- Represented designer and builder of data centers and the supplier of power and temperature regulation products for data centers in cases involving trade secret misappropriation, patent infringement and breach of contract.
- Defended early stage GPS company against claims of patent infringement brought by a non-practicing entity. Obtained favorable settlement without having to respond to lawsuit.
- Represented multinational designer and supplier of power equipment in suit brought by non-practicing entity for patent infringement. Client settled on favorable terms.
- Defended large electronics company in suit claiming infringement of a number of patents. Obtained favorable settlement before completion of claim construction proceedings.
- Managed numerous software patent infringement cases.
- Defended manufacturer of construction equipment against charges of patent infringement.
- Represented leading developer of resume software in matters relating to patent and trademark infringement.
- Defended German patent prosecution law firm in suit for breach of contract and legal malpractice in connection with the filing of foreign patents.
- Analyzed possible infringement claims on behalf of inventor of micro-turbine engines.
- Defended developer of biotechnology products in suit alleging patent infringement.
- Represented Internet software company in suit for patent infringement.
- Defended producer of electronic music files in action for copyright infringement.
- Defended seller of computer peripheral devices against charges of patent infringement.
- Defended developer of analytics software in trademark cancellation proceeding before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.
- Defended advertising agency in suit alleging copyright and trademark infringement.
- Defended CEO of international industrial real estate development company accused of bankruptcy fraud.
- Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent Rating
- Super Lawyers®, Intellectual Property Litigation, 2020
- AmLaw Top Rated Lawyer in Intellectual Property Law, 2018
- JD, University of California Hastings College of the Law, Order of the Coif (Hastings Law Journal Editor), 1979
- BS (Mechanical Engineering), Stanford University, 1976
- BA (History), Stanford University, 1975
- Panelist. “Mission-Critical Infrastructure: Navigating Risk in Data Center Design and Construction,” webinar, April 24, 2025.
- Panelist. “Procopio International Litigation & Arbitration Retreat: Resolution of Conflicts involving the U.S. and Mexico,” San Diego, September 29, 2023.
- Co-author. “5 Takeaways from the U.S. Supreme Court Decision in Amgen v. Sanofi,” May 23, 2023.
- Co-presenter. “Is Your Life Sciences Patent Enabled? The U.S. Supreme Court is Considering that Question,” Procopio Perspectives podcast, March 29, 2023. Transcript.
- Co-presenter. “Is Your Life Sciences Patent Enabled?” webinar, March 14, 2023.
- Co-presenter. “Greater Speed and Efficiency: Steps IP Offices Around the World Are Taking to Streamline the Patent Process,” Procopio Perspectives podcast, December 20, 2022. Transcript.
- Author. “What’s the Best Court for Your Patent Infringement Suit? The Answer May Have Just Changed,” July 26, 2022.
- Author. “District Court Decisions Put Willful Infringement and Enhanced Damages Issues at Center Stage,” IP Litigator, Wolters Kluwer, Vol. 28 No. 2, March/April 2022.
- Author. “The Latest from the Federal Courts: More Uncertainty Regarding Willful Infringment and Enhanced Damages,” March 24, 2022.
- Author. “Can a Patent Owner Claim Enhanced Damages in the Absence of Willful Infringement?” February 7, 2022.
- Author. “The Continued Impact on Patent Prosecutors and Litigators of the Federal Circuit’s Expanded Treatment of Means Plus Function Claims,” January 31, 2022.
- Co-presenter. “Willful Patent Infringement: Understanding and Preparing for Claims,” Procopio Perspectives Podcast, January 24, 2022.
- Author. “Is Receipt of a Complaint Sufficient Notice for Claims of Indirect or Willful Infringement,” January 24, 2022.
- Co-author. “4 Keys to Protecting Your Trade Secrets with an NDA,” December 10, 2020.
- Co-presenter. “Are Your Trade Secrets Protected — Legally and Technically — in the COVID-19 Era?” Procopio webinar, October 22, 2020. Webinar recording and PowerPoint.
- Co-presenter. “Are Your Trade Secrets Protected – Legally and Technically – In The COVID-19 Era?,” Procopio Perspectives Podcast, October 12, 2020.
- Co-presenter. “Patent Troll Litigation Is On The Upswing,” Procopio Perspectives Podcast, June 26, 2020.
- Author. “Recent Court Decision May Provide Willful Patent Infringement Defendants Relief,” June 19, 2020.
- Co-presenter. “Contract Drafting Tips From the Litigator’s Perspective: Avoiding Lawsuits in the Post COVID-19 World,” May 27, 2020.
- Co-presenter. “Avoiding Litigation While Resolving Disputes: Commercial Contract Challenges During COVID-19,” May 5, 2020.
- Co-author. “Avoiding Litigation While Resolving Disputes: Commercial Contract Challenges During COVID-19,” April 27, 2020.
- Author. “Not Appealable” Means Just That Regarding Institution of IPR Timeliness Challenges: U.S. Supreme Court,” April 21, 2020.
- Author. “Federal Circuit Rejects Legitimacy of PTAB Judge Appointments: What’s Next?” November 1, 2019.
- Co-author. “Recent Court Decisions Drive Strategic Approaches to Pursuing Sound Patent Protection,” September 10, 2019.
- Co-author. “Where Do Patent Owners Fit In The Current Federal Circuit-USPTO Patentability Divergence?,” April 30, 2019.
- Co-presenter. “Exploring the Stages of a Trade Secrets Case Through Hypotheticals,” Association of Corporate Counsel, September 12, 2018.
- Co-presenter. “Trade Secrets – An Emerging Force in Intellectual Property,” West LegalEd Center, September 11, 2018.
- Author. “U.S. Supreme Court Holds Some Foreign Sales May Be Included in Patent Infringement Damages,” June 26, 2018.
- Panelist. “How to Get Your Claims Through the Patent Office and Ready for Enforcement,” IP Counsel Cafe, Palo Alto, CA, April 22, 2015.
- Co-presenter. “Recent U.S. Supreme Court Patent Cases,” Technology Transfer Center, Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and Taiwan Commercial Law Offices & KPMG Law Firm, Taipei, Taiwan, December 2014.
- Author. “Fed. Circ. Wrestles With Conflicting Court And PTO Rulings,” Law360, October 1, 2014.
- Co-presenter. “Patent Prosecution from a Litigator’s Viewpoint: Position Your Patent to Succeed in Litigation and Post-Grant Procedures,” AIPLA Online CLE Webinar, Nationwide, September 24, 2014.
- Author. “When is Final Really Final? The Federal Circuit Wrestles with Conflicting Court and PTO Decisions Relating to the Same Patent,” September 22, 2014.
- Panelist. “Intellectual Property Supreme Court Case Review,” AIPLA 2014 Electronic and Computer Patent Law Summit, Chicago, IL, June 17, 2014.
- Co-author. “Protecting Confidences: Applicability of the Attorney-Client Privilege to Communications Made in Japan,” May 29, 2014.
- Co-presenter. “Ethical Considerations in Intellectual Property Litigation: An Interactive Dialogue and Case Study,” Menlo Park, CA, May 7, 2014.
- Speaker. “Cost-cutting Strategies for Your Patent Practice,” IP Counsel Café, Palo Alto, CA, April 3, 2014.
- Author. “Have We Seen This Movie Before? The Supreme Court Again Takes Up Patent-Eligibility in Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank Int’l,” AIPLA Electronic & Computer Law Committee, April 2014.
- Author. “Have We Seen This Movie Before? The Supreme Court Again Takes Up Patent-Eligibility in Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank Int’l,” December 19, 2013.
- Speaker. “New Post-Grant Review Procedures Under the AIA,” Fordham University IP Summit, New York, NY, November 18-19, 2013.
- Speaker. “The Corporate Client’s Perspective: In-House Attorneys Discuss Litigation and the In-House Experience,” Association Business Trial Lawyers of San Diego, San Diego, CA, November 12, 2013.
- Speaker. “A Look Inside the USPTO – The Realities of Obtaining and Enforcing Patents,” Vietnamese American Bar Association of Northern California, Menlo Park, CA, October 15, 2013
- State Bar of California
- American Intellectual Property Law Association
- Palo Alto Veterans Institute for Research, Member, Board of Directors
- Hillbarn Theatre, Member, Board of Directors
- Johnson, Emily. “Procopio Atty Who Worked At Oracle To Lead IP Litigation Team,” Law360, June 11, 2024.
- Bultman, Matthew. “Paying More in Patent Damages a Puzzle Ready for the High Court,” Bloomberg Law, April 27, 2022.
- Hu, Tiffany. “Fed. Circ. Partly Reverses PTAB Ruling On Phone Jack Patent,” Law360, July 1, 2021.
- Posses, Shayna. “Emerson Can’t Review Facebook Deal In Trade Secrets Row,” Law 360, November 26, 2018.
- “Corporate lateral continues Procopio’s growth,” Daily Journal, August 12, 2013.
- “Oracle Patent Litigator Jumps to Procopio,” Law 360, August 9, 2013.
