Oliff PLC

What Oliff PLC does

Oliff PLC is a privately-held boutique intellectual property law firm founded in 1983 and headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, with additional offices in St. Louis, Missouri and Charlotte, North Carolina. The firm is organized around two core practice areas — Patent (prosecution, design patents, opinions and litigation, post-grant practice) and Trademark & Copyright (counseling and prosecution, enforcement, copyright) — supplemented by in-house Japanese/English translation services, in-house technical drafting, an annual Intellectual Property Training Institute, and a Resident Client Program that hosts client trainees for three months to three years. Many of its attorneys and patent agents are former U.S. Patent and Trademark Office examiners, and the firm's location minutes from the USPTO, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, the International Trade Commission, and the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit is a deliberate structural choice. The firm has consistently ranked #1 in U.S. Patent Prosecution Counsel among firms representing the world's 50 largest companies and routinely files more than 20 new U.S. patent applications per day.

The firm serves a hybrid client base of large multinational corporations (including Fortune 200 enterprises), major universities and research institutions, mid-market and smaller privately owned companies, and individual entrepreneurs needing patent, trademark, and copyright protection across multiple jurisdictions. Revenue is generated primarily through professional legal service fees on patent prosecution, trademark registration, litigation, and IP portfolio management engagements, with a supplemental training institute revenue stream; pricing is not publicly disclosed but the firm emphasizes competitive billing rates and same-day filing and response SLAs. It uses a sales-led, direct-engagement go-to-market model centered on client-based attorney teams managed by Members, combined with multilingual website support in English, Japanese, and Simplified Chinese, an international network of foreign filing associates, and recurring content marketing via Special Reports and Federal Circuit case summaries. Oliff PLC is employee-owned, with no identified institutional investors, parent company, funding rounds, or public listing.

Name

Oliff PLC

Legal name

Oliff PLC

Website

https://oliff.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Oliff PLC is a privately-held, boutique intellectual property law firm founded in 1983 and based in Alexandria, Virginia, providing patent prosecution, trademark, copyright, and post-grant IP litigation services to multinational corporations, universities, and smaller companies worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Intellectual Property Law Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Legal Services (5411)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAHAMAA

Patent Prosecution & Portfolio Management

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Intellectual Property (IP) & Patent Services

SECONDARYBPAHAMAB

Trademark Prosecution & Brand Protection

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Intellectual Property (IP) & Patent Services

SECONDARYBPAHAMAC

Copyright Services & Content Protection

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Intellectual Property (IP) & Patent Services

SECONDARYBPAEAPAN

IP Management, Patents & Trademark Software

Business & Public Services/IT & Digital Services (Managed Services, Systems Integration)/Governance, Risk, Compliance (GRC) & Legal Tech

SECONDARYBPAHAMAJ

IP Filing, Annuities & Renewals Administration

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Intellectual Property (IP) & Patent Services

SECONDARYBPAHAMAG

IP Due Diligence & Freedom-to-Operate (FTO) Analysis

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Intellectual Property (IP) & Patent Services

Keywords

• Patent prosecution services
• Trademark registration
• Intellectual property litigation
• Copyright protection
• IP portfolio management

Headquarters

HQ city

Alexandria

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Professional Legal Services Fees: The firm charges for professional legal services including patent prosecution, trademark registration, litigation, and other IP-related services. They offer hourly rates for professionals and competitive project-based pricing. Their typical charges for trademark registration are highly competitive, with service charges not exceeding scheduled fees except for complex issues.
2. IP Training Institute: The firm offers an annual Intellectual Property Training Institute (IPTI) at their Virginia office during the Fall, providing training programs for client representatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Oliff PLC is a boutique intellectual property law firm providing patent prosecution, design patents, patent opinions and litigation, post-grant practice, trademark counseling and prosecution, trademark enforcement, and copyright protection services. The firm complements its legal practice with in-house Japanese/English translation services, in-house technical drafting of patent drawings, the Intellectual Property Training Institute (IPTI), and a Resident Client Program that provides extended on-site training for client representatives. Services are delivered through assigned attorney teams supported by proprietary USPTO filing automation software and coordinated through a global network of foreign associates.

Product overview

Oliff PLC is a boutique intellectual property law firm providing high quality, cost-effective and prompt legal services. The firm offers a comprehensive suite of IP legal services organized around two main practice areas: Patent services (including prosecution, design patents, opinions/litigation, and post-grant practice) and Trademark & Copyright services (including counseling, enforcement, and copyright protection). Supporting these core practice areas, the firm also provides specialized translation services (Japanese/English), in-house drafting services, and client training programs including the Intellectual Property Training Institute and Resident Client Program. The firm's 'Big 3' philosophy emphasizes Quality, Cost-effectiveness, and Timeliness in all service delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Patent Prosecution Comprehensive patent prosecution services including conducting patentability, validity and infringement searches; drafting and filing utility, design and plant patent applications; responding to Office Actions; conducting examiner interviews; and coordinating foreign filings. Serves clients seeking patent protection in the U.S. and internationally.
• Design Patents Protection for novel and inventive ornamental designs embodied by articles of manufacture, covering products such as tennis shoes, car bodies, computer-generated icons, and cable connectors. Designed for clients seeking design patent protection.
• Patent Opinions and Litigation Expert opinions on patent infringement and validity, freedom to operate assessments, and comprehensive litigation services in U.S. courts and tribunals including the Federal Circuit, International Trade Commission, and Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Targets clients facing patent disputes or needing validity/infringement assessments.
• Patents - Post-Grant Practice Representation in post-grant matters including ex parte and inter partes reexaminations, Inter Partes Review and Post-Grant Review proceedings under the America Invents Act, and administrative appeals at the USPTO. Serves clients needing post-grant patent proceedings.
• Trademark Counseling and Prosecution Registration, enforcement and licensing of trademarks and service marks across all classes, including searches, preparation and prosecution of state, federal and international registration applications, and Madrid Protocol extensions. Serves clients seeking trademark protection in the U.S. and internationally.
• Trademark Enforcement Watch services for monitoring potentially infringing applications, anti-counterfeiting measures, opposition and cancellation proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, and litigation services. Targets trademark owners needing to protect and enforce their marks.
• Copyright Copyright practice spanning technical works including computer software, micro code, mask works, user interfaces, multimedia, databases and the Internet, including clearance searches, registration, protection, and litigation. Serves clients with copyrightable technical and digital works.
• Translation Services Japanese/English language services including translation of patent applications, litigation materials, and dual-language forms; interpretation for client meetings and USPTO interviews; and IP management support. Targets Japanese clients needing English-language patent services and U.S. clients engaging with Japanese counterparts.
• Drafting Services In-house technical drafting of utility patent, design patent and trademark drawings by expert draftsman, ensuring accuracy and compliance with USPTO rules. Serves patent and trademark applicants needing formal drawings.
• Intellectual Property Training Institute (IPTI) Two-week interactive training program with lectures and hands-on workshops tailored to provide practical skills for improving U.S. patent application preparation and prosecution, including visits to the USPTO and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Targets client representatives seeking hands-on IP training.
• Resident Client Program Extended educational programs for trainees from client companies, allowing representatives to stay at Oliff offices for 3 months to 3 years for hands-on training in U.S. intellectual property law and practice. Targets international corporate clients needing deep immersion in U.S. IP practice.

Quantifiable outcome

• Files over 20 new U.S. patent applications daily
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Worldwide Foreign Associates NetworkcoreOthersLong-established and close relationships with foreign associates in Europe, Asia, South America and elsewhere for coordinating international patent and trademark filings. The firm coordinates foreign filings through these associates to provide comprehensive global IP protection for clients.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP: One of the largest U.S. IP-only law firms based in the Washington, D.C. area. Directly comparable to Oliff as a top-tier patent prosecution and litigation boutique serving Fortune 500 multinationals and Japanese clients.
• Fish & Richardson: Largest U.S. IP-only law firm with a national footprint and deep patent prosecution, litigation, and post-grant practices. Closest direct competitor to Oliff on enterprise patent prosecution mandates.
• Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox PLLC: Washington, D.C.-area boutique IP firm specializing in patent prosecution, post-grant proceedings, and IP litigation. Highly comparable to Oliff in size, model, and prosecution focus.
• Oblon, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt, LLP: Alexandria, Virginia-based IP boutique directly across from the USPTO. Directly competes with Oliff for U.S. patent prosecution and post-grant work.
• Schwegman Lundberg & Woessner, PA: Minneapolis-based IP boutique focused on patent prosecution and post-grant practice. Comparable boutique alternative for enterprise patent work.
• Lerner, David, Littenberg, Krumholz & Mentlik, LLP: New Jersey-based IP boutique with strong patent prosecution and litigation practices. Comparable to Oliff as a specialist IP firm serving technology-focused enterprises.

Regional players

• Hoffmann Eitle: Leading European IP firm with strong patent prosecution practice, particularly for technology and engineering clients. Comparable to Oliff's specialized IP focus but serving primarily European-based multinationals.

Broad incumbents

• Jones Day: Global full-service law firm with a substantial IP practice. Competes with Oliff for enterprise IP work but offers a much broader corporate and litigation platform.
• Ropes & Gray: Global full-service firm with strong IP and technology practices. Provides cross-practice competition to Oliff for combined IP-plus-corporate mandates from large enterprises.
• Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld: Global full-service law firm with notable IP litigation and patent prosecution capabilities. Represents a broader incumbent alternative for enterprise IP matters.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/oliff-berridge-plc-230188370428159

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Oliff PLC