
Partner
Karl A. Hefter
Karl's practice focuses on patent prosecution of computer engineering and computer science matters. His expertise includes drafting and prosecuting utility and design patents in the United States and in many foreign jurisdictions. Karl has drafted and prosecuted patents in many different technical fields, including: telecommunications, distributed systems and cloud computing, audiovisual content distribution and set-top boxes, automobile head units, smart signs, video encoding, wireless power systems, social networks, online content management and delivery, image processing, AI-related systems, noise reduction/cancellation, drone technology, networks, email systems, video games, and other software-related technologies. Karl’s broad range of patent experience allows him to communicate efficiently and effectively with inventors, in-house counsel, and executives. Karl excels in providing portfolio management and developing drafting and filing strategies for single inventors, startups, and multinational corporations.
Karl has been practicing patent law for over 14 years. Before to joining Seed IP, Karl worked as an associate at two other Seattle-area law firms. He has served as a guest lecturer at Washington State University in a senior-level engineering class related to intellectual property. Prior to attending law school, Karl worked as a systems engineer for SAIC, where he was a member of a Technical Management Team for a large software and hardware integration subcontract.
Franklin Pierce Law Center
J.D. (cum laude) 2010
University of Idaho
Computer Engineering
B.S. (magna cum laude) 2005
Karl is admitted to the state bars of Washington and Colorado, and he is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. He is a member of the Washington State Patent Law Association (WSPLA).
Karl Hefter, "Protecting Inventor and Corporate Privacy in Previously Recorded Assignment Documents," October 7, 2024.
Karl is a co-author of “No Respect for the Dead: Protecting Deceased Celebrity Personality Rights,” published by BNA’s Patent, Trademark & Copyright Journal (September 2008).

Honors & Awards
Listed in “Ones to Watch” - The Best Lawyers in America®, 2022 & 2023
What’s a Rich Text element?
The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.
Static and dynamic content editing
A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!
How to customize formatting for each rich text
Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.
What’s a Rich Text element?
The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.
Static and dynamic content editing
A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!
How to customize formatting for each rich text
Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.
What’s a Rich Text element?
The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.
Static and dynamic content editing
A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!
How to customize formatting for each rich text
Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.
What’s a Rich Text element?
The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.
Static and dynamic content editing
A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!
How to customize formatting for each rich text
Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.
What’s a Rich Text element?
The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.
Static and dynamic content editing
A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!
How to customize formatting for each rich text
Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.