With more than 40 years of experience, Rick helps clients protect, enforce and maximize the value of their intellectual property assets. His practice focuses primarily on intellectual property litigation, licensing, and procurement, representing businesses in high-stakes disputes involving patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, trade dress, and intellectual property agreements.
As a seasoned first-chair litigator, Rick has handled hundreds of intellectual property disputes since the 1990s. He has represented clients throughout the United States in virtually every forum where intellectual property rights are adjudicated, including state and federal courts, federal courts of appeals, the U.S. Supreme Court, the International Trade Commission, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board and the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.
Rick represents clients ranging from small and mid-sized businesses to Fortune 500 companies. He regularly assists clients in asserting and defending intellectual property rights, helping businesses navigate complex legal challenges while remaining focused on achieving practical, cost-effective results. His approach centers on identifying the issues most likely to determine the outcome of a dispute and positioning the case for the earliest possible favorable resolution.
Beyond litigation, Rick advises clients on intellectual property licensing and strategic IP portfolio development. He works closely with businesses to evaluate and implement intellectual property protection strategies that align with the broader commercial objectives. In today’s rapidly evolving e-commerce environment, he helps clients secure and leverage intellectual property assets to combat infringement. He also has extensive experience assisting clients with takedown actions, reinstatement of legitimate product listings, and disputes involving the Uniform Domain Name Resolution Policy.
Known for providing practical value and straightforward advice, Rick believes in candidly assessing each case and clearly communicating legal risks and opportunities. Clients appreciate his focus on dispositive issues, efficient litigation strategies, and ability to advocate effectively before courts and tribunals across the country.
In addition to his legal practice, Rick previously taught Patent Law at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and is co-author of a West Academic casebook on patent law.
