I am sometimes asked what it is like being a Reno Patent Attorney. Does Reno have much technology? Is there any innovation in the city?

I always answer that there is more to Reno than the casinos. Reno has a surprising amount of entrepreneurs, innovation and technology.

One of the Few

I took the “Patent Bar Exam” in Reno in 1988. I was the only person who took the exam in Nevada that day. The Patent Office had to arrange for a special proctor to come from Sacramento to give me the Exam. It felt a little strange being the only test taker in a very large and quiet auditorium.

Needless to say, there were not many patent professionals in the State at that time. I believe I was the only Patent Agent in the area.

Reno did not have much technology at that time either. Although Reno has always attracted people with an entrepreneurial mind-set, there was not a lot of technology. Much of the technological innovations dealt with consumer products, gaming and agriculture.

Reno Patent Attorney

After graduating from law school I took the Nevada State Bar Exam. This is the examination that all attorneys must take. Unlike the Patent Bar Exam, the State Bar Exam had hundreds of test takers. Upon passing the State Bar Exam I became one of only two or three Reno Patent Attorneys in the early 1990s.

During the 1990s Reno began to attract more technology from a wide variety of industries. Due in part to its quality of life, favorable business environment and proximity to California, Reno has managed to build a diverse technology sector. While Reno does not compare to places like Silicon Valley, it does have tremendous potential.

I look forward to seeing Reno’s technology sector develop further in the years to come.

Ian Burns