Fish & Richardson Appoints Richard A. Sterba as Managing Principal of Washington, D.C. Office

Richard A. Sterba has been named the office managing principal of Fish & Richardson’s Washington, D.C. office. He succeeds Lauren Degnan, who is transitioning out of the position to focus on her new role as co-leader of the firm’s Appellate Group. The Washington, D.C. office houses more than 80 intellectual property attorneys and technology specialists. 

"I am delighted Rich is assuming the role of office managing principal," said John C. Adkisson, president and CEO of Fish. "Rich has a proven track record of success with clients and in the courtroom but just as important, he is seen as a thoughtful and natural leader among his colleagues in Washington D.C. and in the firm more broadly. I am grateful to Lauren for her leadership over the last six years, and I know she’ll continue to accomplish great things in our newly-formalized Appellate Group.” 

“I am excited to step into the role of leading our Washington, D.C. office,” said Sterba. “As the home of the International Trade Commission, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, D.C. is an often-visited city and maintaining a vibrant office here furthers the firm’s goals. The D.C. market affords us the unique opportunity to host many of our colleagues who come for hearings, trials, and client meetings. Lauren set a high bar for both leadership and hospitality, and I look forward to continuing and building upon those traditions.”  

Sterba’s practice focuses on leading complex patent cases in the ITC and District Courts. He has worked on nearly 50 Section 337 investigations at the ITC, including more than a dozen trials. He also successfully argued at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. With a background in physics and mathematics, Sterba handles cases spanning a range of technologies, including mobile phones, telecommunications, semiconductors, and medical devices.  

Sterba is active in several professional organizations and has served as an Inn president of both the Giles S. Rich American Inn of Court, the largest and oldest Intellectual Property Inn of Court in the United States and the Pauline Newman IP American Inn of Court, which he also helped to found.  Beyond his work at Fish, Sterba is an adjunct professor at the George Washington University Law School, where he teaches the first law school class in the country dedicated to Section 337 investigations at the ITC.