Celebrating Excellence: Fish & Richardson Elevates 18 New Principals 

Fish & Richardson has elevated 18 new principals, effective January 1, 2025. This remarkable group reflects the breadth of talent, dedication, and experience that define the firm.

The 2025 class is a diverse group, ranging from those who started at Fish as technology specialists or summer associates and developed their careers at the firm to attorneys who followed other paths, and includes five who hold Ph.D.s, six with advanced degrees in STEM-related fields, and four who gained first-hand experience through judicial clerkships and internships. Together, they represent a dynamic blend of technical insight, innovative drive, and commitment to client success, positioning Fish for continued leadership in intellectual property law.

“It’s a privilege to celebrate this exceptional group of new principals who demonstrate remarkable skill and excellence in their practices,” said John Adkisson, president and chief executive officer of Fish. “They embody Fish’s collegial culture and reflect the firm’s strong trajectory.”

“We are incredibly proud of this new class of principals, whose diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and talents enrich our firm and strengthen our culture,” said Kristine McKinney, chief operating officer of Fish. “This milestone is a testament to their commitment to excellence, and we congratulate them on this significant achievement in their careers.”

Ryan Chowdhury has significant experience with post-grant proceedings and patent prosecution across computer technology and medical devices. With a cross-disciplinary practice, he has counseled clients in all phases of patent prosecution, inter partes review proceedings, and patent appeals. Chowdhury has a law degree from The George Washington University Law School, and a master's in biomedical engineering from Cornell University.

Benjamin J. Christoff is a trial and appellate lawyer experienced in a wide range of technologies such as semiconductors, memory products, wireless communications, medical devices, computer networks, and chemical processes. Christoff served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Jimmie V. Reyna of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. He earned his J.D. from the University of Dayton School of Law and Master of Laws from George Washington University Law School. Christoff has a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Dayton.

Joel D. Couenhoven focuses on patent prosecution and counseling and open source software analysis, including patent portfolio management and standard essential patent analysis, with a particular emphasis on computer technology as well as the energy and mechanical industries, among others. Couenhoven earned his J.D. cum laude from George Mason University School of Law and holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and computer technology from St. Olaf College.

Michael Ellis focuses his practice on patent litigation across the telecommunications and electrical and computer technology sectors. Before joining Fish, Ellis served as an active-duty Judge Advocate General (JAG) attorney in the U.S. Navy for seven years, where he gained substantial courtroom experience. He earned his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center, a master's degree in foreign service from Georgetown University, and a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.

Jamilla Holomon provides patent prosecution services and strategic counsel to clients in the computer technology and electrical engineering industries, with a particular focus on innovations in the machine learning and autonomous vehicles spaces. Prior to beginning her legal career, Holomon worked as a guidance and navigation engineer for a spaceflight operations company. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University in computer engineering and earned her J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center where she served as articles editor for the Houston Journal of Health Law & Policy.

Katie E. Hyma, Ph.D., focuses her practice on post-grant and patent counseling, advising on a broad range of technologies with a focus on biotechnology, molecular biology, and therapeutics. Before practicing law, she worked at Cornell University’s Institute for Biotechnology, where she developed and implemented novel pipelines for genetic mapping. Hyma earned her J.D. from Syracuse University College of Law, summa cum laude, and her Ph.D. in evolution, ecology, and population biology from Washington University. She completed both her master’s and bachelor’s degrees in microbiology and molecular genetics at Michigan State University.

Kerrijane John focuses her practice on trademark and copyright matters and represents clients ranging from startups to global corporations across various industries. John’s clients are located all over the world, and she is accustomed to managing both domestic and international filing strategies and enforcement initiatives. Her unique global perspective is informed by several years living in Beijing, after which she obtained her Master of Laws from the University of Hong Kong. John earned her J.D. from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University, where she served as managing editor of the Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Bucknell University.

Matthew Knabel, Ph.D., concentrates his practice on patent prosecution and strategy in all fields of the life sciences sector. Knabel earned his J.D. from the George Washington University Law School and his Ph.D. in human genetics and molecular biology from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where his doctoral research focused on the mechanisms of microRNAs dysregulated during liver disease. He holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Johns Hopkins University.

Madelyn McCormick is a patent litigator representing leading pharmaceutical, biomedical, medical device, and life sciences companies, as well as emerging entities. She focuses her practice on representing clients in pharmaceutical and biosimilar pre-suit exchanges and litigation, in addition to resolving biomedical patent and technology dispute cases. She served as a judicial intern to former Magistrate Judge Marianne B. Bowler of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. McCormick earned a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from University of California, Irvine and worked as a lab assistant, technical consultant, and researcher in industry and academia. McCormick earned her J.D. from Suffolk University Law School summa cum laude, where she served as articles editor for the Suffolk University Law Review.

Alexander Pechette focuses his practice on patent trials and appeals. He has experience in an array of technologies, including surgical robotics, nuclear medicine, seismometry, and immersion lithography, among others. Pechette served as a judicial law clerk to Chief Judge Kimberly A. Moore of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Before his legal career, he worked as an engineering consultant in the nuclear power industry. Pechette earned his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School. He holds both a master’s and bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan.

Aaron Pirouznia focuses his work on complex patent litigation within the electrical and computer technology sector. Before attending law school, Pirouznia worked as an electrical engineer developing satellite communication systems that were used on a NASA Deep Space Network antenna used in the Mars rover landing. He graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and earned his J.D. from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law where he served as the technology editor of the SMU Law Review.

Kate Quisenberry focuses her practice on patent litigation in U.S. District Courts and in Section 337 proceedings before the U.S. International Trade Commission. Quisenberry’s casework spans a variety of technologies, including consumer electronics, software, non-volatile memory, semiconductor production, and various oil and gas technologies. Before attending law school, she served as a corps member with Teach for America. Quisenberry holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Trinity University and earned her J.D. from Baylor University School of Law where she served as senior articles editor for the Baylor Law Review.

Justin Sears, Ph.D., focuses his practice on patent prosecution and client counseling in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Sears’ scientific experience encompasses synthetic organic chemistry and reaction development, medicinal chemistry, and bioorganic chemistry. Sears earned his J.D. from Fordham University School of Law, his Ph.D. in organic and medicinal chemistry from Scripps Research Institute, and his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Haverford College.

Grayson Sundermeir focuses his practice on complex patent litigation with an emphasis on medical devices. He has experience in an array of industries, including oil and gas, polymer chemistry, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and automotive/transportation. Prior to his legal career, Sundermeir worked in product management and development at a medical device manufacturer. He earned his J.D. from Temple University Beasley School of Law and holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Pennsylvania State University.

Tyler Train focuses his practice on intellectual property litigation and strategic patent counseling. Companies trust Train to develop and manage IP portfolios and bring their largest patent cases to trial. With a master’s degree in biomedical engineering from Johns Hopkins University, Train specializes in medical devices and medtech innovations. He is also the named inventor on his own patent for a medical imaging device he developed while earning his degree. Train’s literature has been published in over a dozen law journals and news outlets, and he has spoken on various panels covering topics such as life sciences innovation, IP protection for medical devices, neurovascular device development, and big data analytics. Train earned his B.S. from Louisiana State University and his J.D. from Pepperdine University School of Law.

Michael Vincent counsels clients in IP and commercial disputes, with an emphasis on patent litigation. He is experienced in an array of technologies, including wireless communications, medical devices, network architecture, and semiconductors, among others. Vincent previously served as a judicial intern for the Honorable K. Nicole Mitchell of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. Prior to his career in law, Vincent worked as a helicopter flight controls and hydraulics engineer. He holds a J.D. from New York University School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas.

Dexter Whitley, Ph.D., focuses his practice on complex patent cases across life sciences, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and Hatch-Waxman litigation. Before pursuing law, he was a professor of molecular biology, immunology, and physiology at Tougaloo College. His research experience includes studying viral genes required for virion assembly as a graduate student and conducting gene therapy studies targeting endometrial cancer and xerostomia as a post-doctoral scholar at Washington University in St. Louis. Whitley earned his J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law and his Ph.D. and master’s degree in microbiology from the University of Mississippi Medical Center. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Tougaloo College.

Richard Wong, Ph.D., focuses his practice on patent prosecution in the fields of electrical engineering and biomedical engineering. He handles matters involving image and signal processing, artificial intelligence/machine learning, autonomous vehicles, computer vision, and video coding. Wong earned his J.D. from Fordham University School of Law and a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from Cornell University. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Florida.