Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox and Thomson Reuters (TSX/NASDAQ: TRI) announced a partnership to develop an AI tool for patent litigation within Thomson Reuters' CoCounsel Legal platform.

The Patent Claim Eligibility Analyzer assists patent litigators with Section 101 patent eligibility analysis. Section 101 determines whether an invention qualifies for patent protection and frequently decides patent litigation outcomes.

The tool analyzes patent claims, identifies relevant legal precedents, and explains their significance. It provides analysis within minutes rather than days, according to the companies.

"For patent owners seeking to assert a patent, understanding its vulnerability under Section 101 is essential before litigation begins," said Daniel S. Block, director in Sterne Kessler's Electronics Practice Group. "For defendants, a fast, reliable eligibility assessment can reveal a path to an early win."

Thomson Reuters engineers worked directly with Sterne Kessler's intellectual property litigators during development. The companies described this as a departure from typical legal technology development where technologists build tools and later consult practitioners.

"The Patent Claim Eligibility Analyzer was not built by technologists who then consulted practitioners. It was built with practitioners at the center of every decision," said Steve Assie, General Manager, Global Large Law Firms at Thomson Reuters.

The tool operates within CoCounsel Legal and represents the first attorney-built AI workflow within that platform. Section 101 analysis traditionally requires extensive research of court precedents and understanding of complex legal standards that courts apply inconsistently across similar cases.

Sterne Kessler is a Washington, D.C.-based intellectual property law firm. Thomson Reuters provides legal technology and content services to professionals across multiple industries.