Fish & Richardson Elevates 20 Attorneys to Principal

Fish & Richardson is pleased to announce that 20 attorneys have been elevated to principal, effective January 1, 2024. This interdisciplinary class brings vast experience in litigation, patent prosecution, post-grant, and trademark and copyright counseling to support clients’ evolving needs.

“This class of principals has proven that client success is at the forefront of what they do,” said President and Chief Executive Officer John Adkisson. “Their experience and perspectives help set us apart as a collaborative, innovative, and creative organization. Congratulations to these outstanding attorneys on their elevations.”

Nearly half of this class has an advanced degree in a STEM-related field, including five with Ph.D.s. 70% of the class represents diverse backgrounds and more than 50% have spent their entire legal career at Fish.

“We are extremely proud to elevate a class of tremendously talented and accomplished attorneys,” said Chief Operating Officer Kristine McKinney. “They strengthen our market-leading practices and embody the spirit of partnership that is the backbone of our firm. It is my honor to congratulate them on this momentous professional accomplishment and great pleasure to witness their continued contributions to client success and our Fish community in the years ahead.”

Newly promoted principals for 2024 are:

Charles Bahlert focuses his practice primarily on trademark and copyright counseling, strategy, prosecution, and enforcement for companies ranging from start-ups to the Fortune 500. Charles received his J.D. with honors from the University of San Francisco School of Law in 2013, and his B.A. in history from Princeton University in 2006.

Jonathan Bright litigates a variety of cases involving complex technical issues. His experience encompasses various electrical and mechanical technologies — including consumer electronics, semiconductor manufacturing, and telecommunications, among others. He litigates patent issues before a variety of forums and also works on trade secret cases. Jonathan graduated from the University of Georgia School of Law where he served on the Georgia Law Review. Jonathan received an M.S. in electrical and computer engineering and a B.S. in electrical engineering, highest honors, from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Noel Chakkalakal has extensive experience representing clients in all aspects of patent litigation. His clients range from Fortune 30 companies in telecommunications, computers, and e-commerce, to start-ups with products in emerging technology spaces. Noel is also registered with the USPTO and his experience includes patent prosecution and licensing. He served as an extern to the Honorable A. Joseph Fish of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. Noel graduated from the University of Notre Dame with his B.Sc. in electrical engineering, and cum laude from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law with his J.D. where he served as a staff editor for The Computer Law Review.

Scott Flanz is a trial lawyer concentrating in technology and intellectual property litigation. He represents clients from complaint through resolution in forums across the country. Leveraging this experience, and his rigorous technical background, Scott has built a record of success by aligning litigation strategy with client business objectives. Scott earned his J.D. from Stanford Law School where he was editor-in-chief of The Stanford Technology and Law Review, Volume 18. He earned his A.B., cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, in mathematics and physics from Cornell University.

Kathryn Grey, Ph.D., focuses her practice on U.S. and foreign patent prosecution, finance-related due diligence, and technology transactions. She has extensive experience assisting companies and research institutions in many areas of the life sciences, including biotechnology, pharmaceutical and antibody therapeutics, diagnostics, and engineered cells. Kathryn served as a judicial extern to the Honorable Cathy Ann Bencivengo of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. She received a Ph.D. in basic biomedical sciences: neuroscience from the University of South Dakota and a J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law where she was a member of the San Diego Law Review.

Excylyn Hardin-Smith concentrates her practice on patent litigation and trade secret misappropriation. She has experience in the fields of financial services, computer software, and health and life sciences. Excylyn maintains an active pro bono practice focused on criminal justice, employment law, and civil rights. She earned her J.D. from Brooklyn Law School.

Sarah Kelleher counsels clients on trademark, trade dress, trade secret, and copyright matters with a focus on trademark clearance, prosecution, and enforcement in the U.S. and abroad. Sarah was an intern for the Honorable Judge Virginia Kendall of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. She graduated cum laude with her J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.

Usman Khan, Ph.D., focuses his practice on post-grant proceedings and patent prosecution. He has vast experience in a broad range of technologies, including wireless communications, semiconductors, business methods and financial services, and medical devices, among others. Usman is the chair of Fish’s South Asian and Middle Eastern affinity group and maintains an active pro bono practice, representing refugee and asylum applicants. Usman earned his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Tufts University and received his J.D. from George Mason University School of Law.

Casey Kraning, Ph.D., focuses primarily on life sciences, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology patents, litigating cases in U.S. District Courts, and handling post-grant proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. She excels at working with experts to understand her clients’ technology and making complex scientific concepts accessible to a lay audience. She earned her Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from Cornell University and graduated with her J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Matthew Mosteller focuses his practice on complex patent litigation in United States District Courts and the International Trade Commission and, as a registered patent attorney, he has experience with all phases of patent prosecution, inter partes review proceedings, and patent appeals. His experience spans numerous technology areas ranging from electrical and computer engineering to biomedical devices. Matthew received his J.D. cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center.

Olivia Nguyen focuses her practice on intellectual property litigation, commercial litigation, and related counseling for clients primarily in the technology sector. With a technical background in molecular and cell biology and a decade of experience litigating in a vast array of technologies, Olivia is well-versed in various technologies, particularly in consumer products, medical devices, semiconductors, and software, among others. She maintains an active pro bono practice, including successful representation of asylum seekers and military personnel. Olivia earned her J.D. from Boston College Law School.

Sangki Park provides counsel on litigation and patent procurement and handles post-grant proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Sangki has extensive experience in diverse technical areas, including telecommunications, networking and network security, semiconductors, and display technologies, among others. Sangki received his J.D. from Washington University School of Law and graduated from Seoul National University with a B.S. in mechanical and aerospace engineering.

Steven Petkovsek is a patent prosecutor who advises clients in the areas of patent harvesting and prosecution, due diligence analysis, standard-essential patent analysis, post-grant, and pre-litigation, primarily for computer-related technologies. He has prosecuted hundreds of patent applications for semiconductors, telecommunications, medical devices, and autonomous vehicles and robotics, among other areas. Steve earned his J.D. from Boston College Law School and a B.S. in electrical engineering and physics from Trinity College with Phi Beta Kappa honors.

Charles Reese focuses his practice on patent and trade secret litigation. Charles’s cases cover wide-ranging subject matter from ultra-high resolution x-ray microscopes to 5G cellular networks and pharmaceuticals. He is also committed to pro bono causes, with experience in housing and immigration matters. Charles received his J.D. cum laude from Harvard Law School, where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review.

Ethan Rubin is a registered patent attorney who focuses his practice on patent, trade secret, and other intellectual property litigation. He has experience with a range of complex technologies, including computer networking and network security, digital image processing, data storage systems, and medical devices. Additionally, he maintains an active pro bono practice, representing clients in need of political asylum and immigration representation. He received his J.D. cum laude from Boston College Law School and served as an editor of the Boston College Law Review.

Jillian Shapiro, Ph.D., helps pharmaceutical companies and academic research institutions protect their innovations — from bench to bedside — by building a robust patent portfolio. Jillian’s practice focuses on patent prosecution and client counseling in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. She received her B.A. in biochemistry from New York University, her Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (Department of Microbiology), and her J.D. from Fordham University School of Law.

Ryan Steinman is a highly experienced intellectual property attorney who focuses on all aspects of trademark and copyright law. He represents businesses in a wide range of industries, including consumer products, computer software and technology, entertainment, financial and insurance services, and hospitality, among others. Outside of his practice, Ryan volunteers as pro bono counsel for artists and non-profit cultural organizations. Ryan received his J.D. magna cum laude from New York Law School where he served as articles editor for the Law Review. He received his M.A. from Boston University, and his B.M.A. from the University of Michigan.

Laura Whitworth focuses her practice on all aspects of patent infringement matters in U.S. District Courts and before the U.S. International Trade Commission. Laura litigates disputes across a wide range of technologies, including medical devices, oil and gas refining technology, hybrid vehicle technology, and consumer electronics. Laura served as a judicial intern for the Honorable Judge Jimmie V. Reyna of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Laura also dedicates her time as a guardian ad litem for child custody disputes in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia. Laura received her J.D. cum laude from American University Washington College of Law where she served as an editor for the American University Law Review and the Intellectual Property Brief.

Jack Wilson is a patent litigator who has secured victories for clients in patent-heavy venues across the country. As a U.S. Army veteran with a technical background in computer engineering, clients appreciate his real-world outlook, actionable advice, and pragmatic approach to the practice of law. Jack served as a judicial extern for the Honorable Mark Davis of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Jack received his J.D. magna cum laude from William & Mary Law School where he was a member of the William & Mary Law Review. 

Baile (Bailey) Xie, Ph.D., focuses her practice on patent prosecution and post-grant proceedings in the areas of wireless communications, artificial intelligence, blockchain, and FinTech, among others. Bailey’s technical expertise in telecommunications equips her with unique advantages in handling high-stakes inter partes review matters and bolsters her patent prosecution practice. Bailey received her Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Texas at Dallas and her J.D. from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law.