About Us

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox is dedicated exclusively to the protection, transfer, and enforcement of intellectual property rights. Our diverse team of attorneys, registered patent agents, student associates, and technical specialists include some of the country's most respected practitioners of intellectual property law. A majority of our professionals hold an advanced technical degree, including 50+ master's degrees and 50+ doctorates in science or engineering. For 19 consecutive years, our firm is one of few that ranks among the top-tier of IP firms in Washington, DC by Chambers & Partners USA. Sterne Kessler’s client base includes both emerging and established companies, venture capital firms, individual entrepreneurs, and universities. Our clients are innovative companies in a wide array of sectors, ranging from bleeding-edge technology fields like carbon footprint technologies, pharmacogenomics, and biofuels to next-generation electronics and other consumer products. Additionally, we have an unbridled passion for exploring the bounds of technology and the law. We like what happens when 170+ IP professionals come to work in a firm that combines the focus of a boutique with the resources of a ”Big Law” firm. And we’re honored that our attorneys and staff have consistently voted Sterne Kessler as a Washington Post "Top Workplace" and a Washington Business Journal "Best Place to Work!"

Diversity

Sterne Kessler is committed to diversity and inclusion. We believe that true diversity is about understanding one another and moving beyond basic tolerance to embracing and celebrating differences. Everyone at the firm is encouraged to voice their ideas and to be themselves. Our firm aims to provide a workplace that is reflective of our global client base and the diverse cultural mix of the greater Washington, DC area in which we live and work. In doing so, we place a premium on talented individuals that can contribute to our work environment and service to clients irrespective of their race, gender, religious views, sexual orientation, or other personal attributes. We value the quality of the individual and the unique capabilities and experiences they bring to the table. Our firm’s Diversity Committee is a specific steering committee charged with furthering Sterne Kessler’s vision of diversity and inclusion. The committee is comprised of employees from every tier within the firm, including staff, attorneys of all levels, our managing director, and one of our founding directors, Robert Greene Sterne. The committee supports a broad array of initiatives and programs, including recruiting and mentoring, programs for career development and advancement, targeted outreach and affinity groups, and firm-wide programs that are both social, educational, and simply fun.

Our Workplace

Our work environment is one of the highlights of coming to the office every work day. Our architecturally heralded space, nestled in the heart of the city’s downtown, is flooded with natural light and full of collegial energy. A favorite feature of our office, by our team and visitors alike, is our full-service barista bar and game room, where surprise treats, like donuts, fresh baked cookies, and even delicious fruit are known to pop up! Our attorneys and professional staff are top-notch, and they think our culture is too. Our associates participate in the annual anonymous surveys administered by Vault and Chambers Associate, and they consistently give the firm high marks for work-life balance, culture, quality of work, training, and diversity. We think those aspects of work life are important and strive to maintain an environment where our attorneys can thrive.

Our Culture

At Sterne Kessler, we believe that community and culture are as integral to our continued success as the depth of our technical and legal knowledge. This is why we pride ourselves being a different kind of law firm, one dedicated not only doing our best for our clients but equally dedicated and focused on the happiness and well-being of our team. We like to have a little fun in and outside of the office, and we have some great traditions -- from our director-hosted Valentine's Day luncheon and staff appreciation banquet to our semi-annual events, including a hiking excursion in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains and a grand crab feast. Giving back is an important part of the culture at Sterne Kessler. We aim to touch the lives of those in our local communities and in far off places. Because our team is made up of people with a diversity of talents and interests, we reach out to a wide array of organizations to make a difference in many ways. In March 2012, we formally launched our Intellectual Property and Human Rights Pro Bono Practice. It is the first of its kind and is singularly focused on the interplay of intellectual property principles and human rights.