Amster Rothstein & Ebenstein LLP

What Amster Rothstein & Ebenstein LLP does

Amster, Rothstein & Ebenstein LLP (operating as ARE Law) is a New York-based boutique intellectual property law firm founded in 1953, exclusively focused on IP law for over seven decades. The firm offers six core service lines: patent prosecution, portfolio strategy and litigation; trademark and trade dress registration, enforcement and anti-counterfeiting; copyright registration and litigation; IP and data licensing agreements, portfolio sales and research collaboration agreements; trade secret NDA drafting and misappropriation disputes; and adjacent IP services including name, image and likeness representation, business torts, and licensing litigation. The practice is differentiated by an unusually technical bench — over 20 USPTO-registered attorneys with more than 90% holding technical degrees spanning electronics, mechanics, chemistry, computer science, biotechnology, physics, and finance, supplemented by PhD-level scientific advisors.

The firm serves clients across eleven verticals including AI & Software, Pharmaceuticals & Life Sciences, Retail & Fashion, FinTech, Universities and Academic Research Institutes, Green Technology & Energy, Hospitality & Entertainment, Manufacturing/Consumer/Industrial Goods, Streaming Media, Chemistry & Agrochemicals, and Start-Ups. Notable clients include Albert Einstein College of Medicine (engaged 20+ years), The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research (10+ years), the Australian Government's CSIRO, and Columbia University, where the firm represented the Axel patents generating over $600 million in royalties from 30+ licensees. Distribution occurs through direct partner-led client engagement from the New York headquarters (405 Lexington Avenue, 48th Floor) supplemented by an international co-counsel network spanning Europe, Japan, and Korea, with attorneys admitted before the USPTO, multiple U.S. state and federal courts, and the European Patent Office.

Revenue is generated through professional services fees billed as hourly rates, fixed fees for specific matters, or contingency arrangements for certain litigation, with pricing quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The firm is a privately held limited liability partnership governed by its equity partners; as of September 2025, Richard S. Mandaro serves as Managing Partner and Anthony Lo Cicero as Chairman. The firm is not a technology company — it does not develop proprietary technology, software products, or APIs — and its competitive differentiation rests on legal expertise, technical depth, analyst-recognized brand reputation (Chambers and Partners, IAM Patent 1000, WTR 1000, Super Lawyers, IP Stars), and long-tenured institutional client relationships.

Name

Amster Rothstein & Ebenstein LLP

Legal name

Amster, Rothstein & Ebenstein, LLP

Website

https://arelaw.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Amster, Rothstein & Ebenstein LLP is a New York-based boutique intellectual property law firm founded in 1953 that provides patent prosecution, trademark, copyright, licensing, and trade secret services to startups, enterprises, and research institutions across eleven industry verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Intellectual Property Legal Services

NAICS

Legal Services (5411)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Patent Prosecution & Portfolio Management (BPAHAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

IP Search, Watch & Competitive Intelligence (BPAHAMAI), IP Due Diligence & Freedom-to-Operate (FTO) Analysis (BPAHAMAG)

Keywords

• Intellectual property law
• Patent prosecution
• Trademark registration
• Copyright protection
• IP litigation

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Legal Professional Services: The firm generates revenue through professional legal services fees, including patent prosecution, litigation, trademark registration, copyright protection, trade secret counseling, and IP licensing/transaction services. Fees may be structured as hourly rates, fixed fees for specific services, or contingency arrangements for certain litigation matters.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Amster, Rothstein & Ebenstein, LLP is a boutique intellectual property law firm offering comprehensive IP legal services. The firm delivers patent prosecution and litigation, trademark and trade dress registration and enforcement, copyright registration and litigation, IP and data licensing agreements, trade secret protection, and related IP counseling to startups and established businesses across emerging and traditional industries.

Product overview

Amster, Rothstein & Ebenstein LLP is a boutique intellectual property law firm offering cutting-edge expertise and best-in-class client service. The firm operates as a single unified legal services offering rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Their core service portfolio consists of six interconnected practice areas: Patent Services (prosecution, portfolio strategy, litigation, and licensing), Trademark & Trade Dress Services (selection, registration, enforcement), Copyright Services (registration and litigation), Agreements & Licensing (IP licensing and portfolio transactions), Trade Secrets Services (NDA and confidentiality agreements), and Additional IP Services (NIL, business torts, licensing litigation). The firm serves startups and established businesses across industries including AI & software, pharmaceuticals, retail, fashion, FinTech, and green technology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Patent Services Comprehensive patent services including prosecution, post-issuance proceedings, litigation, counseling and strategy, and transactions across diverse technology fields such as AI, software, pharmaceuticals, chemistry, biotechnology, and mechanical arts. For inventors, startups, research institutions, and established companies.
• Trademark and Trade Dress Services Full-service trademark practice including selection, search, clearance, prosecution, registration, portfolio management, oppositions/cancellations, licensing, litigation, and enforcement against infringement, counterfeiting, and cybersquatting. For brand owners across industries including fashion, retail, hospitality, and consumer products.
• Copyright Services Copyright registration, litigation, counseling and strategy, and transactions spanning literary works, electronic books, video games, mobile applications, databases, and semiconductor chip designs. For creators, publishers, software developers, and entertainment companies.
• Agreements and Licensing Services Drafting, review, and negotiation of IP and data licensing agreements, IP portfolio sale transactions, data use agreements, sponsored research agreements, research collaboration agreements, and inter-institutional agreements. For technology transfer offices, universities, research institutions, and corporate IP owners.
• Trade Secrets Services NDA and confidentiality agreement drafting, review, and negotiation, plus dispute resolution and litigation related to trade secret misappropriation under federal and state law. For companies needing to protect proprietary information.
• Additional IP Services Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) representation, business torts litigation, and licensing litigation services. For individuals, brands, and businesses requiring broader IP-adjacent legal protection.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully represented Albert Einstein College of Medicine for over 20 years and The Feinstein Institute for more than 10 years
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Oblon, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt: Boutique IP firm focused on patent prosecution and post-grant proceedings, with notable technical specialization in semiconductors, software, and chemistry — a direct mid-sized competitor to ARE.
• Fish & Richardson: Largest U.S. IP boutique law firm with deep patent prosecution, litigation, and post-grant practices across biotech, software, and high-tech — competes head-to-head with ARE for sophisticated IP clients and patent attorney talent.
• Harness Dickey & Pierce: Detroit-based IP boutique with broad patent and trademark prosecution and litigation capabilities — comparable boutique scale and technical specialization, competing for similar IP portfolios.
• Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner: Premier IP boutique with strong patent prosecution and litigation bench, particularly in pharma, biotech, and high-tech — directly comparable to ARE on technical specialization and client profile.
• Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox: Washington, D.C.–based IP boutique with deep patent prosecution and PTAB expertise, particularly in biotech, software, and electrical technologies — directly comparable in technical specialization and client mix.
• Banner & Witcoff: Long-standing IP boutique with patent prosecution, litigation, and counseling across electrical, mechanical, and software technologies — competes with ARE for similar enterprise and emerging-tech IP clients.
• McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff: Chicago-based IP boutique with strong prosecution, litigation, and opinion practice across biotech, chemistry, and high-tech — a comparable size and specialty profile to ARE for technical IP work.
• Knobbe Martens: West Coast–anchored IP boutique with extensive patent prosecution and litigation across medical devices, biotech, and consumer products — directly competes for emerging-tech and life sciences IP work.
• Wolf, Greenfield & Sacks: Boston-based IP boutique specializing in patent prosecution, litigation, and strategic counseling for high-tech, medical devices, and biotech — a similarly sized and structured direct competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Foley & Lardner LLP: Larger full-service law firm with a significant IP practice (prosecution, litigation, and transactions) serving similar enterprise and tech clients — competes with ARE on patent and trademark work but offers broader legal services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/amster-rothstein-&-ebenstein
• Xx.com/arelawalerts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Amster Rothstein & Ebenstein LLP