Hon. David P. Ruschke was appointed Chief Judge for the Patent and Trial Appeal Board in May 2016. Chief Judge Ruschke leads the PTAB as it conducts trials, hears appeals from adverse examiner decisions in patent applications and reexamination proceedings, and renders decisions in interferences. Previously, Judge Ruschke managed the intellectual property portfolio of Medtronic’s CSH business unit as its Chief Patent Counsel. He gained experience in post-grant proceedings in Europe, and participated in third-party contested proceedings before administrative agencies and courts around the world. Prior to joining Medtronic, Judge Ruschke practiced with Covington & Burling litigating claims of patent infringement. Judge Ruschke clerked for Chief Judge Glenn L. Archer, Jr. and Circuit Judge Arthur J. Gajarsa at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Judge Ruschke received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center, holds a PhD in organometallic chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a B.S. in chemistry from the University of Minnesota