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Adam Steinmetz

Adam Steinmetz

Partner
  • WASHINGTON, D.C. Phone: 202-451-4936 Fax: 202-451-4901
  • NEW YORK Phone: 212-351-3400 Fax: 212-351-3401
Adam Steinmetz’s practice focuses on complex technology and patent disputes.  Mr. Steinmetz specializes in patent appeals at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.  He also represents clients in disputes in federal district court, the International Trade Commission, and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.  He has represented and counseled clients in a range of technologies, including mainframes, wireless technology, computer architecture, medical imaging, gene sequencing, and antibody development.
 
Recently, Mr. Steinmetz argued before the Federal Circuit on behalf of Medivis, Inc., securing reversal of a decision by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.  The appellate victory revived Medivis’s invalidity challenge against a patent owned by Novarad Corp. that relates to augmented reality surgical technology. Fed. Circ. Revives Challenge To Augmented Reality Surgical IP.
 
Mr. Steinmetz was a key member of the appeal team that secured Federal Circuit affirmance of summary judgment of noninfringement for a major consumer electronics company in a case involving Bluetooth technology.  In a separate appeal from the district court’s denial of a motion to disqualify the judge, Mr. Steinmetz argued before the Federal Circuit, and secured unanimous affirmance.
 
Mr. Steinmetz was also a key member of the appeal team that secured Federal Circuit affirmance of summary judgment of noninfringement for Intel Corporation against infringement claims accusing virtually all of Intel’s desktop and mobile processors.  Fed. Circ. Sinks Patent Fight Over Intel's CPU Chips
 
Mr. Steinmetz has represented pro bono veterans in appeals at the Federal Circuit and the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.  In 2025, he argued before the Federal Circuit on behalf of a veteran in an appeal involving a claim for Special Monthly Compensation.  He previously argued a Federal Circuit appeal on behalf of a veteran’s widow in an appeal involving the denial of a hearing before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals.   In 2023, he was part of a team that won appellate reversal for a veteran’s widow in a case involving Dependency and Indemnity Compensation.  Desmarais LLP Wins Appellate Reversal for Veteran's Widow in Pro Bono DIC Case.
 
Mr. Steinmetz rejoined Desmarais LLP in 2022, after serving for three years as a judicial law clerk for Judge Alan D. Lourie at the Federal Circuit from September 2019 through June 2022.  Mr. Steinmetz previously served for a year as a judicial law clerk to Judge Claire C. Cecchi in the District of New Jersey.

Courts

  • United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
  • United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
  • United States District Court for the District of New Jersey  

Clerk & Government Experience

  • Law Clerk to the Hon. Alan D. Lourie, United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, 2019-2022
  • Law Clerk to the Hon. Claire C. Cecchi, U.S.D.J., United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, 2015-2016

Other Distinctions

  • U.S. News & World Report, Best Lawyers, Ones to Watch - Patent Litigation, Patent Law

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News & Publications

EDUCATION

Columbia Law School, J.D., 2012, Science and Technology Law Review; James Kent Scholar; Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar

The Cooper Union, B.S., Chemical Engineering, summa cum laude, 2009

ADMISSIONS

2013, New York

2013, New Jersey

2023, District of Columbia 

Registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office
 

OFFICES