Joel Armstrong is a Member and has been with the firm since 1994.  He focuses his practice primarily in the areas of client counseling and patent application preparation and prosecution in a wide range of technologies, particularly in the chemistry and chemical engineering arts.  Joel has successfully briefed and argued numerous appeals before the USPTO Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) and he has been involved in many inter partes matters before the PTAB, including interference proceedings.  Joel is also responsible for handling patent applications for a number of domestic and foreign clients that are under a Secrecy Order.

Joel spends much of his time mentoring others on various domestic and foreign patent prosecution procedures, and he also oversees the firm's international patent application filing programs.  He has lectured on a number of occasions on topics related to patent application preparation and prosecution, procedures under the Patent Cooperation Treaty, and current topics in patent law.

Before joining Oliff PLC, Joel developed extensive skills in computer and database programming, computer network installation and administration, and financial accounting.  He also clerked with a law firm conducting legal research on topics ranging from patent prosecution to trademark infringement and enforcement.  With his background in computers and computer networking, Joel often assists with the planning and management of the firm's IT infrastructure.