Johnny Ma

Partner

Johnny represents clients in protecting their core technologies, including obtaining patents directed to various industry standards.

Johnny Ma, Partner, ArentFox Schiff

Mr. Ma has over 20 years of experience in patent prosecution. He has spent most of his legal career managing and prosecuting strategically-important patent portfolios for large globally recognized companies. His expertise extends to standard-essential patents (SEPs) and evolving fields such as video coding and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Mr. Ma is experienced in drafting and prosecuting patent applications directed to various industry standards, including industry standards related to wireless communications (e.g., ATSC) and video coding (e.g., VVC, HEVC, V2X, 5G). He has also worked on patent applications for evolving technologies, such as AI architectures, training, and various applications of AI (e.g., in video coding and medical imaging).

He is responsible for the prosecution of non-provisional and reissue patent applications relating to a wide range of technologies including video coding, video games, television systems, cameras, displays, networking, robotics, wireless communications, semiconductors, power devices, information processing, user interfaces, printers, and Internet-related services.

In addition to prosecuting non-provisional and reissue applications, Mr. Ma’s patent application work includes filing and converting provisional applications and drafting new applications. He leads an experienced team of professionals, including patent practitioners with industry experience and/or advanced degrees.

With experience working as a patent examiner at the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and a patent attorney, Mr. Ma is experienced in addressing a wide range of examination related issues. His tenure at the USPTO has also given him a unique perspective on obtaining patents for new technologies, enhancing his ability to navigate the complexities of these rapidly evolving fields.

Client Work

  • Provides patent prosecution and counseling to large global companies, working closely with in-house counsel in those companies to build patent portfolios in targeted areas.
  • Works closely with clients in preparing tailored claim language and regularly conducts examiner interviews to negotiate such language with patent examiners.

Previous Work

Before joining ArentFox Schiff, Mr. Ma was a partner at one of the largest law firms in the US focusing exclusively on intellectual property law. Mr. Ma is also a former Patent Examiner at the USPTO where he examined patent applications directed to interactive video distribution. This work included technologies such as video on demand, commercial/message insertion or substitution, electronic program guide interfaces and functionality, usage surveying or monitoring, access control or blocking, and various communications-related technologies.

Life Beyond the Law

Mr. Ma enjoys traveling and playing tennis. He is conversant in Mandarin.

Perspectives