Seth M. Reiss

Of Counsel

Seth M. Reiss joined Watanabe Ing’s predecessor, Watanabe Ing & Kawashima, in 1991 and while a partner developed and oversaw the firm’s intellectual property, technology and Internet law practice group. Mr. Reiss returned to the firm in 2012, as of counsel, and oversees the group he founded. He specializes in patent, trademark, copyright, technology and Internet law while also providing services in the areas of business law, commercial litigation and dispute resolution, and regulatory matters.

With a strong background in intellectual property law and conflict resolution, Mr. Reiss offers unique advantages to those finding themselves in disputes concerning patents, trademarks and copyrights. Mr. Reiss is experienced with the patent prosecution process, including less routine procedures such as inter-parte reviews and prioritized patent examination.

Mr. Reiss’ practice includes securing and protecting intellectual property rights overseas facilitated through global treaty filings and strong relationships with foreign patent and trademark firms with whom he works regularly for the benefit of his clients.  Meanwhile the Hawaii time zone facilitates urgent patent and trademark filings with the USPTO in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Reiss was a member of the law review staff while studying at the William S. Richardson School of Law, previously clerked and held the position of staff attorney to the Hawai‘i Supreme Court and has practiced law in both the public and private sectors. He taught law at the Universities of Malaya and Hawai‘i and managed and continues to manage a solo practice emphasizing intellectual property and Internet law matters.

In addition to being admitted to practice law in Hawaii, Mr. Reiss is admitted in California (inactive), to the U.S. Supreme Court and the Federal and Ninth Circuit Courts of Appeal, and is a registered patent attorney with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. He has taught intellectual property and Internet law subjects as an adjunct professor at the William S. Richardson School of Law, and served on the boards of the Hawai‘i Board of Bar Examiners, the Hawai‘i Institute of Continuing Legal Education, and the Hawai‘i State Bar Association’s International Law, Alternative Dispute Resolution, and Intellectual Property and Technology Sections. Mr. Reiss is a World Intellectual Property Organization UDRP arbitrator and on the panel of neutrals for the International Trademark Association (“INTA”), Dispute Prevention & Resolution, Inc. and the Mediation Center of the Pacific, a member of INTA and the Federal Circuit Bar Association, a fellow of the American Bar Foundation and a delegate to the At Large Advisory Committee of the Internet Corp for Assigned Names and Numbers (“ICAAN”) which administers policy for domain names. Mr. Reiss is a frequent speaker on intellectual property, technology and Internet law topics.

Education
  • University of Cambridge, UK, LLM, 1984
  • University of Hawaiʻi, William S. Richardson School of Law, J.D., 1980
  • University of Hawaiʻi, M.S. Biochemistry, 1975
  • New College of Florida, B.A. Biology/Chemistry 1970
Community Involvement
Notable Cases