Indian American jurist Kalyan Deshpande has been appointed the Chief Judge for the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) which plays a crucial role in adjudicating patent and trademark disputes.
In his new role, Deshpande leads the PTAB as it conducts post-grant trials, including inter partes reviews, post-grant reviews, covered business method patent reviews and derivation proceedings, and as it hears appeals from adverse examiner decisions in patent applications and re-examination proceedings.
Deshpande’s appointment announced by U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director John Squires solidifies his position as a prominent figure within the PTAB. It highlights his important contributions to the field of patent law and underscores the PTAB’s commitment to upholding the integrity of the patent system.
Overall, Deshpande’s role as the chief judge of the PTAB is expected to have a significant impact on the resolution of patent disputes and the development of patent law in the United States.
Read: Indian American composer Keeril Makan named MIT vice provost for the arts (February 3, 2026)
Deshpande joined the Board in 2008. Prior to becoming the Chief Judge, he served as a patent attorney, Administrative Patent Judge (APJ), Lead Judge, Senior Lead Judge, Vice Chief Judge, and Deputy Chief Judge.
Deshpande, in addition to handling a substantial number of post-grant trials and ex party appeals, has played an instrumental role in implementing and leading the precedential and informative decision designation processes, the director review process, and the director discretionary processes.
Read: Indian AI leader Gautam Barai joins Knack RCM as CEO (February 2, 2026)
Deshpande also has managed the APJ hiring and on-boarding processes, the Legal Experience and Advancement Program (LEAP), and the Judicial Law Clerk program. Deshpande detailed at the U.S. Senate for Senator Chris Coons.
Before joining the Board, Deshpande worked in software development for Accenture and supply chain management at the early-stage food services company.
He earned a law degree from The Ohio State University and a degree in biomedical engineering from Case Western Reserve University.