Rubén H. Muñoz

Rubén focuses on patent and trade secret litigation across technologies including medical devices, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and electronics. He represents clients in federal and state courts and before the International Trade Commission. His practice also includes proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, where he has served as lead counsel in numerous inter partes reviews and has handled post-grant reviews.

Before entering the legal profession, Rubén spent more than five years as an engineer at Ford Motor Company’s Scientific Research Laboratory, developing advanced engine technologies. He holds degrees in chemical and mechanical engineering and a certificate in business and public policy from the Wharton School. At Akin, he leads the firm’s PTAB practice and serves as partner in charge of its Philadelphia office.

• Successfully represented biotechnology company in inter partes review proceeding involving patent directed to a method for the treatment of schizophrenia (PTAB, Federal Circuit, U.S. Supreme Court).
• Successfully represented multinational company in several inter partes review proceedings involving patents in the medical, chemical, and cosmetic industries (PTAB).
• Successfully defended medical device company in state, district court, and arbitration on trade secret misappropriation claims (Massachusetts State Court, District of Massachusetts, and AAA)
• Successfully defended pharmaceutical company in inter partes review proceeding involving protease inhibitors for the treatment of HIV (PTAB).
• Successfully defended medical device companies in concurrent patent infringement lawsuits involving suturing anchors (District of Massachusetts).

• Defended medical device company in a Section 337 investigation involving hemostatic hydrogels and achieved favorable settlement.

• J.D., University of Pennsylvania Law School, 2007

• Graduate Certificate, University of Pennsylvania, 2007

• M.S., Louisiana State University, 1997

• B.S., Louisiana State University, 1994

• Pennsylvania

• U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

• Chambers USA, Leading Practitioner in Intellectual Property, Pennsylvania, 2026.
• IAM Patent 1000—The World’s Leading Patent Professionals, Leading Private Patent Litigator in Philadelphia, 2020-2026.
• Legal Intelligencer, Distinguished Leaders, 2022.
• Diversity Journal, Latino Leaders Worth Watching, 2021.
• The Legal 500 US, Patents: Litigation (Full Coverage), 2020-2024.
• Philadelphia Business Journal, Best of the Bar: Philadelphia’s Top Lawyers, 2019 and 2021.
• Philadelphia Business Journal, Minority Business Leader, 2019.
• Latino Leaders Magazine, Top Latino Lawyers, 2018.
• National Diversity Council, Leadership Excellence Award, 2017.
• Super Lawyers, Pennsylvania, Rising Star, IP Litigation, 2013-2017.

• Member, Sedona Conference Working Group 10, Patent Litigation.
• Member, PTAB Bar Association.
• Member, Federal Circuit Bar Association.
• Member, Hispanic Bar Association.

• “Connected Vehicles and the Next Wave of IP Litigation,” XPONENTIAL 2023, May 10, 2023.
• “The Legal Landscape for the Advanced Mobility Sector,” The LOT Network, March 22, 2023.
• “Tips to Mitigate the Effect of IPRs,” New Jersey Intellectual Property Law Association, January 23, 2020.
• Federal Circuit Bar Association, Panelist: Phillips Construction in PTAB Trials: Strategies for Petitioners and Patent Owners (2018).
• Hispanic Bar Association, Panelist: Considerations in Joint Development Agreements (2018).
• IAM’s IP in the Auto Industry, Moderator: Protection and Litigation (2018).