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Five Things to Know About Federal Circuit Chief Randall Rader

By Dyanna Quizon, Esq. on January 25, 2012 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Here at FindLaw, we understand the pressures of being a legal professional - most of us are recovering lawyers - so we want to help by tossing you that preferred life preserver of the legal profession, the short list.

Oh, the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals - the mysterious, nerdy sister of the circuit courts that only hears appeals in specialized, complicated areas like patent law and international trade. What better way to get to know the Federal Circuit than by learning a little bit more about its captain, Federal Circuit Chief Judge Randall Rader.

1. He's in a band. Yes, the honorable chief judge is in a band cleverly-titled DeNovo. Along with University of Washington professor Sean O'Connor and Matthew Bryan of the World Intellectual Property Organization, DeNovo is touring the country and recently played at the House of Blues in downtown San Diego for the University of San Diego's Patent Law Conference. We can just picture IP groupies who love Rock 'n Roll swooning.

2. The Prolific Professor Rader. Out of the many positions he has held in his extensive career, his most prized title "may well be 'Professor Rader,'" and he may have taught patent law to more students than anyone else. He has taught courses on patent law and other advanced intellectual property topics at the George Washington University Law School, (his alma mater), the Munich Intellectual Property Law Center, and other university programs in Tokyo, Taipei, New Delhi, and Beijing.

3. World Traveler. Chief Judge Rader is also known for taking his educational exploits around the globe, participating in delegations on every continent, (except Antarctica), to teach rule of law or intellectual property concepts to developing nations, according to his bio on the Federal Circuit's website.

4. Champion of E-Discovery Efficiency. Under Chief Judge Rader's watch, the Federal Circuit introduced the Model Order on E-Discovery in Patent Cases, which will hopefully streamline the process, prohibit "unlimited fishing expeditions," and reduce e-discovery costs.

5. Favorite Part of Being a Judge. We'll end our short list with Chief Judge Rader's own words on what he loves about being a judge for the Federal Circuit for over two decades: "The opportunity I have to associate with so many intelligent and well-meaning people, both as colleagues and in our bar. There are a lot of talented people who are all seeking the best in the country through the legal system, and it's a great reward to be part of that."

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