{ "id": "epwjbnh49a", "slug": "richard-linn", "title": "Richard Linn", "updated": "2026-10-15", "topic_path": [ { "id": "society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society" }, { "id": "society.law", "label": "Law and justice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law" }, { "id": "society.law.practice", "label": "Courts and legal practice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people", "label": "Legal biographies", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us", "label": "United States judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal", "label": "US federal judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3", "label": "Article III judges (district and appellate)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges", "label": "United States courts of appeals judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-k-to-n", "label": "Surnames K to N", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-k-to-n" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-k-to-n", "label": "United States · 2021 and later: Surnames K to N", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-k-to-n", "path": [ { "id": "geo.us", "label": "United States", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021", "label": "United States · 2021 and later", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law", "label": "Law and justice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice", "label": "Courts and legal practice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people", "label": "Legal biographies", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us", "label": "United States judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal", "label": "US federal judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges", "label": "United States courts of appeals judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-k-to-n", "label": "Surnames K to N", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-k-to-n" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Richard Linn, born in 1944, is an American jurist serving as a senior judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit since 2012.", "snippet": "Richard Linn, born in 1944, is an American jurist serving as a senior judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit since 2012.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-k-to-n", "markdown": "# Richard Linn\n\nRichard Linn (born 1944) is an American jurist serving as a senior United States circuit judge of the [United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-court-of-appeals-for-the-federal-circuit) since 2012.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391101) He was appointed to the court by President William J. Clinton in 1999 and assumed senior status on October 31, 2012.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391101) Before joining the bench, he spent nearly three decades in private practice as an intellectual property lawyer.[2](https://www.cafc.uscourts.gov/home/the-court/judges/judge-biographies/)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Court | U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391101) |\n| Appointed by | William J. Clinton[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391101) |\n| Confirmed | November 19, 1999, by voice vote[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391101) |\n| Senior status | October 31, 2012[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391101) |\n| Born | 1944 in Brooklyn, NY[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391101) |\n| Education | B.E.E., Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 1965; J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, 1969[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391101) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nLinn was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1944.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391101) According to a profile in The Federal Lawyer, he was raised in a household where he developed a fascination with electronics that shaped his education and early career.[3](https://www.fedbar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Linn-profile.pdf) He received a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering from [Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute](https://www.edgepedia.org/rensselaer-polytechnic-institute) in 1965 and a [Juris Doctor](https://www.edgepedia.org/juris-doctor) from Georgetown University Law Center in 1969, attending Georgetown's evening program.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391101) • [3](https://www.fedbar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Linn-profile.pdf)\n\n## Legal career\n\nLinn worked as a patent examiner at the [United States Patent and Trademark Office](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-patent-and-trademark-office) from 1965 to 1968.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391101) After graduating from law school, he entered private practice from 1969 to 1971, then served as a patent advisor with the [Office of Naval Research](https://www.edgepedia.org/office-of-naval-research), Naval Air Systems Command, from 1971 to 1972.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391101) He returned to private practice in 1972 and remained there until his judicial appointment in 1999.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391101)\n\nIn practice, Linn was a partner and head of the intellectual property department of Marks and Murase from 1977 to 1997, and then a partner and practice group leader at Foley and Lardner from 1997 to 1999.[2](https://www.cafc.uscourts.gov/home/the-court/judges/judge-biographies/) He was a member of the founding Board of Governors of the Virginia Bar Patent Section and served as its chairman in 1975.[2](https://www.cafc.uscourts.gov/home/the-court/judges/judge-biographies/)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nPresident William J. Clinton nominated Linn on September 28, 1999, to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit vacated by Giles S. Rich.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391101) • [4](https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/linn-richard) The Senate confirmed him on November 19, 1999, by voice vote, and his commission issued on November 22, 1999.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391101) He assumed senior status on October 31, 2012.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391101)\n\nWhile on the court, Linn served as an adjunct professor of law at George Washington University Law School from 2001 to 2003.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391101) He is a past president of the Giles Sutherland Rich American Inn of Court, a member of the Richard Linn American Inn of Court, a visiting member of the Honorable William C. Conner American Inn of Court, and an honorary lifetime member of the Benjamin Franklin American Inn of Court.[2](https://www.cafc.uscourts.gov/home/the-court/judges/judge-biographies/) His efforts to bring together intellectual property–focused [Inns of Court](https://www.edgepedia.org/inns-of-court) contributed to a network known as the Linn Inn Alliance, and he helped organize an IP American Inn of Court outside the United States.[3](https://www.fedbar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Linn-profile.pdf) In 2016, he co-founded The Naples Roundtable with Hal Wegner, a forum for advanced discussion of patent issues.[3](https://www.fedbar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Linn-profile.pdf)\n\nLinn has received numerous professional awards, including the New York Intellectual Property Law Association Leadership Award and the New Jersey Intellectual Property Law Association Jefferson Medal in 2009, the [American Bar Association](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-bar-association)'s inaugural Mark Banner Award and the American Inns of Court A. Sherman Christensen Award in 2011, and the American Intellectual Property Law Association's Excellence Award in 2015.[2](https://www.cafc.uscourts.gov/home/the-court/judges/judge-biographies/)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: Richard Linn](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391101)\n2. [Judge Biographies, United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit](https://www.cafc.uscourts.gov/home/the-court/judges/judge-biographies/)\n3. [Richard Linn profile, The Federal Lawyer](https://www.fedbar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Linn-profile.pdf)\n4. [Federal Judicial Center: Richard Linn](https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/linn-richard)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Law and justice › Courts and legal practice › Legal biographies › United States judges › US federal judges › Article III judges (district and appellate) › United States courts of appeals judges › Surnames K to N*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026 · Last review: Sep 29, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-linn", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-linn.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Richard Linn\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-linn. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Richard Linn](https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-linn)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-linn](https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-linn). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Richard Linn\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-linn. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Richard Linn, born in 1944, is an American jurist serving as a senior judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit since 2012." }