Exhibit 23.1
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
We have issued our reports dated February 28, 2011 with respect to the consolidated financial
statements and internal control over financial reporting included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2010 of Acacia Research Corporation, which are incorporated by
reference in this Registration Statement. We consent to the incorporation by reference in the
Registration Statement of the aforementioned reports, and to the use of our name as it appears
under the caption Experts.
/s/ Grant
Thornton
Irvine, California
March 24, 2011