I was curious about which law firms obtain the most class 977 nanotech patents.
So I searched the US PTO public database for granted patents focusing on the legal representative search field combined with the 977 classification search field. I searched firms which, from my experience, seemed to be active with nanotechnology. Also, I searched the top 25 patenting firms listed in Intellectual Property Today each year.
Best I can tell, as of June 21, 2011, four firms "float to the top" with having more than one hundred class 977 nanotechnology patents. Three of the four are large IP "boutiques" (Oblon, Spivak (176 patents); Fitzpatrick, Cella (174 patents, with virtually all of them listing the same company as assignee); and Fish & Richardson (112 patents).
The fourth firm is the only general practice firm: Foley & Lardner (109 patents, sponsor of this blog).
Congratulations to these firms for their contributions to nanotechnology patenting.
Also, most likely, the PTO will grant the 8,000th class 977 nanotech patent next Tuesday, June 28.