Sterne Kessler and Thomson Reuters Partner to Create New AI Tool for Patent Litigation
Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox and Thomson Reuters today announced a co-development partnership that has produced the first attorney-built AI workflow within CoCounsel Legal. The Patent Claim Eligibility Analyzer is a new AI tool designed to assist patent litigators with Section 101 patent eligibility analysis.
Section 101 is often a decisive factor in patent litigation, and one of the quickest ways to win or lose a case, yet it is also one of the most difficult to navigate. Key concepts lack clear definitions, courts apply the same test differently across similar inventions, and the analysis is precedent heavy. It is an area of law that is time-consuming and costly.
"For patent owners seeking to assert a patent, understanding its vulnerability under Section 101 is essential before litigation begins. For defendants, a fast, reliable eligibility assessment can reveal a path to an early win. Both sides want information fast," said Daniel S. Block, director in Sterne Kessler's Electronics Practice Group and leader of Sterne Kessler Labs. "By leveraging our deep intellectual property expertise and Thomson Reuters legal content we've built a scalable platform that can deliver patent eligibility analysis in minutes, not days—dramatically enhancing the value we bring to our clients."
What distinguishes this partnership is its collaborative model — rather than building tools for practitioners, Thomson Reuters worked alongside them, inspired by Sterne Kessler's practical methodologies for Section 101. What began with an initial meeting led to a customer co-developed solution that has evolved into a market offering.
"The Patent Claim Eligibility Analyzer was not built by technologists who then consulted practitioners. It was built with practitioners at the center of every decision," said Steve Assie, General Manager, Global Large Law Firms, Thomson Reuters. "Our forward deployed engineers worked side by side with Sterne Kessler's IP litigators, embedded directly in their workflows, co-building in rapid iterations. That is a fundamentally different model from how legal technology is typically developed. This co-development initiative has evolved into a scalable offering inside CoCounsel Legal, and it is the first proof point of what becomes possible when a firm's internal intelligence becomes a repeatable, scalable product."
The new Patent Claim Eligibility Analyzer aligns with how courts approach Section 101. The tool quickly analyzes patent claims, surfaces highly relevant precedents, and explains why those cases matter. It provides a faster, more consistent, precedent-backed starting point to support attorney judgment.
About Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox
Based in Washington, D.C. and renowned for more than four decades for dedication to the protection, enhancement, and enforcement of intellectual property rights, Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox is one of the most highly regarded intellectual property specialty law firms in the world. Its team of attorneys, registered patent agents, technical specialists, specialized trademark paralegals, and law clerks include some of the country's most respected practitioners of IP law, tackling innovations across a broad spectrum of industries. The firm's practitioners represent Fortune 500 companies, entrepreneurs, start-ups, inventors, venture capital firms, and universities in a client service driven environment that is welcoming, inclusive, and intellectually stimulating. Visit the firm online at sternekessler.com.
About Thomson Reuters
Thomson Reuters (TSX/Nasdaq: TRI) informs the way forward by bringing together the trusted content and technology that people and organizations need to make the right decisions. The company serves professionals across legal, tax, audit, accounting, compliance, government, and media. Its products combine highly specialized software and insights to empower professionals with the data, intelligence, and solutions needed to make informed decisions, and to help institutions in their pursuit of justice, truth and transparency. Reuters, part of Thomson Reuters, is a world leading provider of trusted journalism and news. For more information, visit thomsonreuters.com.
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Kimberly Doughty
Senior Marketing Manager
kdoughty@sternekessler.com