Medical Device Patent Counsel for Miami and South Florida Device Companies

South Florida's device sector spans interventional cardiology, diagnostics, neural interfaces and vision care, often with an eye toward international markets. Robert Knechtel, a patent attorney, physician and engineer, helps founders protect clinical-stage technology and plan filings beyond the United States.

Patent Strategy for South Florida's Device Companies

Miami's device history runs through cardiovascular medicine. Dr. William P. Murphy Jr. founded the company that became Cordis in Miami in 1957, and it adopted the Cordis name in 1959. After ownership by Johnson & Johnson and then Cardinal Health, Cordis was acquired in 2021 by private equity firms Hellman & Friedman and KKR. It remains headquartered in Miami Lakes, and in March 2026 the State of Florida and Cordis announced a planned investment of about $60 million at that campus, supporting up to 300 new jobs.

Diagnostics is another thread. Wallace and Joseph Coulter formed Coulter Electronics in 1958 and moved the business to Hialeah in 1961; Beckman's acquisition of Coulter Corporation, announced in 1997, took effect in 1998. The Coulter name endures locally in the Wallace H. Coulter Center for Translational Research at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, one of the units of U Innovation, which also includes the Office of Technology Transfer, The Launch Pad entrepreneurship center and the 'Cane Angel Network.

The university's clinical programs create device opportunities in specialized fields. The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis studies neuromodulation to help restore function after spinal cord injury, and in January 2025 it was selected as the second U.S. site for Neuralink's PRIME early feasibility study of a wireless brain-computer interface. Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, repeatedly ranked first in ophthalmology by U.S. News & World Report, reports work on remote slit lamps, home vision testing devices and artificial intelligence for detecting eye disease. Statewide, BioFlorida represents the life sciences industry, including medtech, through seven regional chapters.

For patent strategy, three themes stand out. Interventional cardiovascular devices compete against extensive portfolios, so delivery systems, catheter features and procedural methods need to be claimed with precision. Neural and ophthalmic technologies frequently reach clinical studies, conferences and publications early, which puts pressure on filing timing. And companies planning to sell outside the United States must account for foreign patent rules, which are often less forgiving of early disclosure than U.S. law.

Patent Strategy Considerations

What matters for device companies in Miami & South Florida.

Claiming interventional cardiovascular devices

Catheters, sheaths, stents and delivery systems sit in a heavily patented field. Coverage that addresses the device structure, its delivery mechanism and the procedural method gives a company multiple ways to reach a competitor's product, and a careful prior art review reduces exposure to later validity challenges.

Disclosure timing for clinical-stage technology

Study protocols, conference abstracts and investigator publications can all become prior art. U.S. law offers a one-year grace period for an inventor's own disclosures, but many countries provide a shorter grace period or none. Filing before public presentation keeps both domestic and foreign options open.

Planning international protection

A single Patent Cooperation Treaty application has the effect of filing in all member states and typically gives applicants 30 months from the priority date to choose national filings. That window allows a company to gather clinical and market data before committing to the cost of prosecuting patents country by country.

How Engagements Work

Senior counsel, directly — wherever the company is.

Knechtel Law Group is based in Carefree, Arizona. Patent prosecution and counseling before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is federal practice, and engagements with Miami & South Florida-area companies are handled directly by senior counsel by video and in person as needed. Matters that turn on state law may call for local counsel.

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Patent portfolio review and strategy aligned to the product roadmap
Freedom-to-operate and competitor landscape review before launch
Claim alignment with FDA pathway, indications, and product changes
IP diligence readiness for investors, acquirers, and licensees
U.S. market entry for companies based abroad

Common Questions

Miami & South Florida device companies ask.

Do I need a patent attorney located in Miami or elsewhere in Florida?

Not for USPTO matters. U.S. patent practice is federal, and registered patent attorneys and agents may represent applicants anywhere in the United States. Florida state-law matters, such as certain employment or contract disputes, may require counsel licensed in Florida, and we can coordinate with local counsel when that arises.

Our investigators want to present early results at a conference. Should we file first?

In most cases, yes. A presentation may be preserved under the U.S. one-year grace period, but it can defeat patent rights in countries without a comparable rule. A well-prepared application filed before the presentation protects the broadest set of options.

How can a small company afford patent protection in several countries?

The Patent Cooperation Treaty process lets a company file one international application and defer most country-specific costs, typically until 30 months from the priority date. That time can be used to validate the product and prioritize the markets that matter most.

Discuss Your Portfolio

Patent strategy built around your device and your market.

Schedule a confidential consultation to discuss your technology, your existing portfolio, and your plans.

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