Fish & Richardson provides patent services for all chemistry-related disciplines including organic chemistry, physical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, analytical chemistry, biochemistry, polymer science, and material science. The chemistry group includes over 50 professionals, half of whom have Ph.D.'s.

Our chemistry professionals have experience working with clients in a wide variety of industries, including the chemical, pharmaceutical, personal products, household products, food products, semiconductor, medical device, energy products, analytical instrumentation, superconductor, adhesives, fuel cells, and battery industries.

For clients in the chemistry field, we provide:

• IP strategy and planning
• Advice on strategic planning and patent opinions
• Patent infringement opinions
• Clearance/Right-to-Use opinions Patents
• Preparation and prosecution of U.S. and foreign patent applications Transactions
• Licensing, development agreements, joint venture agreements, and technology transfer agreements Regulatory practice
• Food & Drug Administration advice, as well as advice on dealing with regulatory agencies outside the United States

Litigation

We have an excellent track record in chemical patent cases. Our victories include

Pharmaceuticals - Tic-d

Defended Clariant Life Science Molecules SpA in a patent infringement case brought by Great Lakes Chemical Company in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. The patent covered a process to make tic-d, an important ingredient used to make AIDS drugs. The jury found that Clariant's process to manufacture tic-d does not infringe the Great Lakes patent and that Great Lakes could not enjoin Clariant from making tic-d. The jury awarded a small fraction of Great Lakes original damages claim for sales of product made under an old process, no longer used by Clariant and stipulated to be within the claims of the patent.

Catalytic Process for Making 2,5-dihydrofuran (DHF)

Defended Eastman Chemical Company in a patent infringement case brought by BASF in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. BASF had claimed that Eastman infringed its patent on a process for preparation of the chemical 2,5-dihydrofuran (DHF) from the chemical epoxy-1-butene (EpB). Judge Roderick McKelvie found that Eastman did not infringe BASF's patent, and that BASF's patent was invalid. BASF Corp. v. Eastman Chemical Co., 56 USPQ2d 1396 (D.Del. 1998).

Orthopedic Casting Tape

Represented 3M in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota against Johnson & Johnson Orthopaedics, Inc. on four 3M patents covering fiberglass casting tape for bone fractures. The District Court awarded 3M $129 million, including damages for willful infringement. Decision at 22 USPQ2d 1401 (D.Minn. 1991). Affirmed by the Federal Circuit. Decision at 976 F.2d 1559 and 24 USPQ2d 1321 (Fed. Cir. 1992).

Fire Protective Coating

Represented PPG Industries Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts in a patent jury case involving PPG's patent for an epoxy fire protective coating against Avco and Textron. Jury awarded over $25 million in damages and found willful infringement.

Polymer Technology

Lead counsel for 3M in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts in a patent infringement suit against Ampad Corporation involving Post-it® polymer technology; obtained injunction against infringement of Post-it® note pads patents. (Related decision at 7 USPQ2d 1589 (D. Mass. 1987).

Capacitors

Defended Aerovox, Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts against a charge of infringement by General Electric involving six GE patents relating to chemical and mechanical aspects of electrical capacitors. All six patents held invalid, or not infringed, or unenforceable because of inequitable conduct, after full trial began.

Chemistry Attorneys

Michael R. Asam
Kenyon College A.B. Chemistry 1994 cum laude
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Ph.D. Analytical and Biological Chemistry 1998
Duke University School of Law J.D. 2001
Executive Editor, Alaska Law Review

Geoffrey D. Biegler
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse B.S. Biology 2000
University of Minnesota Law School J.D. 2006 magna cum laude

Richard G. A. Bone
University of Cambridge B.A. Natural Sciences 1988 First Class Honours
University of Cambridge Ph.D. Theoretical/Computational Chemistry 1992
Santa Clara University School of Law J.D. 2002
Editorial Board Member, Santa Clara University Law Review

Gregory R. Booker
University of Pennsylvania B.S.E. Bioengineering and Materials Science Engineering 1997 cum laude
Drexel University M.S. Materials Engineering 2002
Temple University Beasley School of Law J.D. 2005 cum laude
Temple Law Review

Steven C. Carlson
Reed College B.A. Chemistry 1993 Phi Beta Kappa
Yale Law School J.D. 1999
Editor, Yale Law Journal

Craig Countryman
California Institute of Technology B.S. Chemistry 2003 with honors
UCLA School of Law J.D. 2006
Articles Editor, UCLA Law Review

Sean P. Daley
University of Massachusetts B.S. Chemistry 1989 summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Ph.D. Physical Chemistry 1994
Suffolk University Law School J.D. 1999 cum laude

Ahmed J. Davis
Morehouse College B.S. Chemistry 1994 cum laude
Emory University M.S. Chemistry 1996
Georgetown University Law Center J.D. 1999

Richard P. Ferrara
Manhattan College B.S. Chemistry 1972 cum laude
Fordham University School of Law J.D. 1975

Janis K. Fraser
Nebraska Wesleyan University B.S. Chemistry 1971 with highest distinction
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Ph.D. Biochemistry 1976
Harvard Law School J.D. 1985

Timothy A. French
Worcester Polytechnic Institute B.S. Chemical Engineering 1973
New England School of Law J.D. 1980

John J. Gagel
Bowdoin College A.B. Chemistry 1983 summa cum laude
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Ph.D. Physical Chemistry 1988
Suffolk University Law School J.D. 1993

John D. Garretson
Harvard University A.B. Biology 1989 cum laude
Universidad Complutense de Madrid C.S. Spanish 1990 with highest honors
Georgetown University Law Center J.D. 1993 cum laude

Susanne Hoff Goodson
Union College B.S. Chemistry 1990 magna cum laude
University of California at Berkeley Ph.D. Chemistry 1997
Temple University, Beasley School of Law J.D. 2005 cum laude
Staff Member and Contributor, Temple Law Review

Thomas L. Halkowski  
Marquette University B.S. Mechanical Engineering 1985 cum laude 
University of Florida M.S. Engineering 1986 
University of Wisconsin Law School J.D. 1989 cum laude, Order of the Coif 

Irene E. Hudson
St. John's University B.S. Pharmacy 1999
Hofstra University J.D. 2002
Articles Editor, Hofstra Labor and Employment Law Journal

Autumn J.S. Hwang
University of Virginia B.S. Chemistry 1998
Washington and Lee University School of Law J.D. 2002

Michael J. Kane
Iowa State University B.S. Mechanical Engineering 1981 with Honors
University of Minnesota J.D. 1994 magna cum laude

Adam Kessel
Princeton University B.A. Chemistry 1998
Northeastern University School of Law J.D. 2004

Teresa A. Lavoie
Providence College B.S. Chemistry 1989 summa cum laude
Princeton University M.A. Chemistry 1993
Princeton University Ph.D. Chemistry 1996
University of Minnesota Law School J.D. 2002 magna cum laude, Order of the Coif

Jolynn M. Lussier
Cornell University B.S. Electrical Engineering 1986
University of Pittsburgh School of Law J.D. 1993

Gregory A. Madera
Massachusetts Institute of Technology B.S. Civil Engineering 1969
Richard Lee Russel Scholar award as top engineering graduate in class
Massachusetts Institute of Technology M.S. Geotechnical Engineering 1970, C.E. Advanced Engineering 1971
Harvard Law School J.D. 1975

Rasheed M. McWilliams
Morehouse College B.S. Chemistry 1999 magna cum laude
New York University School of Law J.D. 2003

Andrew T. Meunier
Georgia Institute of Technology B.Ch.E. 1991
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law J.D. 1995

Wes Musselman
University of Virginia B.S. Mechanical Engineering 1981, with high distinction, Tau Beta Pi
University of Virginia School of Law J.D. 1987

Brian R. Nester
Temple University B.A. Biology 1990 magna cum laude
The George Washington University Law School J.D. 1996 with honors

Eifion Phillips
University of Oxford B.A. Chemistry 1989 First Class Honors
University of Oxford D.Phil. Organic Chemistry 1992
Widener University School of Law J.D. 2006 summa cum laude, Valedictorian
Unreported Cases Editor, The Delaware Journal of Corporate Law

Joshua Pond
Stanford University B.S. Mechanical Engineering, B.A. Political Science 1994
Georgetown University Law Center J.D. 2004 cum laude

Frank P. Porcelli
Boston College A.B. English Literature 1968 magna cum laude
Harvard Law School J.D. 1971
Northeastern University M.S. 1981 Chemistry

Britnee M. Reamy
The University of Texas at Austin B.S. Chemical Engineering 2001
Stanford Law School J.D. 2005
Stanford Technology Law Review

Deanna J. Reichel
University of St. Thomas B.S. Chemistry 1999 summa cum laude
University of Iowa College of Law J.D. 2002 with highest distinction, Order of the Coif
Note & Comment Editor, Journal of Corporation Law

Nagendra (Nick) Setty
Emory University B.S. Biology 1987
Emory University School of Law J.D. 1992 Douglas Peabody Award for Best Oralist in Moot Court

W. Chad Shear
Texas A&M University B.S. Chemistry 1996
University of Illinois College of Law J.D. 1999 magna cum laude

Geoffrey P. Shipsides
University of Florida B.S. Chemical Engineering 2001 with honors
Georgetown University Law Center J.D. 2006 cum laude

Jonathan E. Singer
Dartmouth College A.B. Chemistry 1986 Daniel Webster Scholar
University of Chicago Law School J.D. 1992 with honors

John M. Skenyon
Catholic University B.S. Electrical Engineering 1969
Catholic University J.D. 1973 (Law Review)

Craig R. Smith
Manhattan College B.S. Civil Engineering 1992, magna cum laude, Tau Beta Pi
University of Illinois M.S. Environmental Engineering 1994
New York University School of Law J.D. 1997 Order of the Barrister

Jay P. Smith, III
Vanderbilt University B.A. Chemistry, Classics, and Molecular Biology 1998 summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa
Harvard Law School J.D. 2001
Articles Editor, Harvard Journal of Law & Technology

Edna Vassilovski
Stanford University B.S. Chemistry 1988 with distinction, Phi Beta Kappa
Harvard University M.A. Chemistry 1990
Columbia University J.D. 1995
Board Member, Columbia Journal of Gender and Law

Marc M. Wefers
University of Toronto B.S. Chemical Physics 1991 highest distinction
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Ph.D. Physical Chemistry 1996
Suffolk University Law School J.D. 2002 magna cum laude

Dorothy P. Whelan
Yale University B.S. Chemistry 1981
Massachusetts Institute of Technology S.M. Polymers 1984
Boston College Law School J.D. 1987 magna cum laude

Jennifer Winick
University of Pennsylvania B.S. Computer Science 2002
Brooklyn Law School J.D. 2005

Jennifer Zanocco
University of Wisconsin B.S. Chemistry, Environmental Studies Certificate 1995
University of California, Hastings College of the Law J.D. 2002

T. Tony Zhang
Beijing University B.S. Chemistry 1996
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Ph.D. Chemistry 2001
Suffolk University Law School J.D. 2007

Chemistry Technology Specialists

Heather L. Flanagan
University of Georgia B.S. Chemistry
Harvard University Ph.D. Physical Chemistry
University of Florida M.B.A. Decision and Information Sciences

Angela D. Follett
Gustavus Adolphus College B.A. Chemistry and Biochemistry 2001 magna cum laude
University of Minnesota Ph.D. Chemistry 2006
University of St. Thomas J.D., expected 2011

Asimina Georges
Wellesley College B.A. Chemistry and Spanish 1994
Brown University Ph.D. Chemistry 2000

Christine A. Goddard
Massachusetts Institute of Technology S.B. Chemistry 1993
Harvard University Ph.D. Bio-inorganic Chemistry 1999
Suffolk University Law School J.D. expected 2010

Elizabeth N. Kaytor
St. Olaf College B.A. Chemistry and Biology 1989 magna cum laude
University of Minnesota Ph.D. Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics 1997

John T. Kendall
Bates College B.S. Chemistry 1986
Dartmouth College Ph.D. Organic Chemistry 1991

Shankar Manyem
University of Madras B.S. Chemistry 1993
Indian Institute of Technology M.S. Chemistry 1995
North Dakota State University Ph.D. Organic Chemistry 2004 Phi Kappa Phi

Peter R. Poulin
University of Western Ontario B.Sc. Chemistry 1996 Honors
University of Toronto M.Sc. Physical Chemistry 1998
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Ph.D. Physical Chemistry 2004

Ka-Lo Yeh
National University of Singapore B.S. Chemistry 2003
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Ph.D. Physical Chemistry 2009

Juan Zheng
University of Toronto B.Sc. Bioorganic Chemistry 2000
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Ph.D. Organic Chemistry 2005