The American Lawyer Names Fish Principal Christian Chu a 2021 "South Trailblazer"

Fish & Richardson Principal Christian Chu has been named to The American Lawyer's 2021 "South Trailblazers" list. The list honors top lawyers in the southern region of the U.S. who "have moved the needle in the legal industry and are agents of change, making significant marks on the practice, policy, and technological advancements in their sector."

Chu is a principal in Fish's Washington, D.C., office. His practice emphasizes intellectual property and technology licensing and litigation, in a vast range of technical areas, including in the areas of chemistry, biotechnology, mechanical and electrical engineering, semiconductor, non-volatile memory, software, displays, and wireless technologies. A trial attorney experienced in all phases of litigation, Chu has tried many cases, including before the U.S. International Trade Commission, where he is considered one of the top patent litigators.

When asked by The American Lawyer what led him to the path that made him a trailblazer, Chu replied, "I immigrated to California at age 14 after losing my mother, and then my father died a year later. When I came here, I barely spoke English but learned to adapt quickly and to be resilient. I ultimately earned scholarships to attend Harvard University and U.S. Berkeley School of Law. I was a 1L at Fish's Silicon Valley office and loved patent litigation so much that I continued working there throughout law school. After graduation, I had two clerkships, including for Judge Clevenger on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which brought me to D.C. I met my now-husband, who worked for the U.S. government. To stay with him, I joined Fish's D.C. office - instead of returning to Silicon Valley as planned - where I was introduced to patent disputes at the International Trade Commission (ITC). ITC litigation brings up novel legal issues in a rapid-paced setting, with trial occurring about nine months from case commencement. While this type of pressure-cooker, be-ready-for-anything environment is not for everyone, it was perfect for me."

To view the 2021 edition of The American Lawyer's South Trailblazers, click here.