Lead Judge Grace Karaffa Obermann

Lead Administrative Patent Judge Grace Karaffa Obermann is a graduate, with honors, of the George Washington University School of Law, and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Chemistry from Rutgers University.  Judge Obermann began her career as a bench chemist for FMC Corporation, designing and executing the organic synthesis of insecticidal compounds.  After law school, she practiced as an associate at the law firm of Fish & Neave.  She subsequently served as a Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Raymond C. Clevenger, III, at the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.  Judge Obermann is a former Assistant Director of the United States Department of Justice, where she served as lead counsel for the United States in a diverse array of high-value IP infringement suits involving, for example, bombs, satellites, synthetic fuel, priority mail services, insurance products, and postage stamp art.  Most recently, she was engaged in the private practice of law with the firm of Davidson, Berquist, Jackson & Gowdey, LLP.