Ralph Fischer, Esquire

Adjunct Professor of Law

Biography

Ralph G. Fischer has experience in patent, trademark, copyright and unfair competition law including litigation, patent solicitation, licensing, trademark cancellation and opposition proceedings, International Trade Commission investigations, registration of trademarks and copyrights with the United States Customs Service and related exclusion proceedings.

Ralph practices in the fields of patent, trademark, copyright and unfair competition law. His work involves a wide range of technical subjects including mechanical, electrical, electronic, e-commerce, biotech, chemical, metallurgical and computer fields. Ralph has obtained and litigated patents on a variety of products including computers, communication systems, business methods, medical devices, devices and systems used in the minerals industry, kilns, safety products, office furniture, window coverings, luggage, toys and other consumer products.

Ralph was honored by his peers and selected to be on the 2013 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers® Rising Stars list, which represents only the top 2.5 percent of lawyers in Pennsylvania.

Examples of Ralph's work include:

  • In Ren Judkins v. HT Window Fashions Corp., (W.D. Pa. Civil Action No. 07-251), Ralph served as trial counsel and appellate counsel for client Ren Judkins. During the representation, a jury verdict of willful infringement of a patent directed to double cell cellular shades and a permanent injunction against the willful infringer, HT Window Fashions Corp., were obtained. 704 F.Supp.2d 470 (W.D.Pa.2010). These rulings were upheld on appeal. 2011 WL 1296161 (Fed. Cir. 2011) (unpublished).
  • In Ex Parte Reexamination No. 90/010,443, Ralph served as counsel for a patentee during an ex parte reexamination that resulted in the issuance of a reexamination certificate upholding the validity of the reexamined patent.
  • Drafting of patent applications and prosecution of patent applications directed to office furniture, window coverings, mineral processing systems, cement manufacturing systems, communication devices, communication systems, medical devices, and safety products.

Inventors, authors, programmers and business managers have sought Ralph's counsel in negotiating and drafting licenses as well as obtaining patents for them. Inventors have also sought Ralph's counsel in negotiating various contracts related to the development of certain consumer products, masonry products, construction products and application software.

Ralph has also handled all types of trademark disputes. He has successfully registered logos, and other trademarks and service marks in the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Examples of U.S. trademark registrations Ralph has helped obtain include:

  • U.S. Trademark Registration No. 3,940,524 for vTour
  • U.S. Trademark Registration No. 3,893,044 for TheSnipLine
  • U.S. Trademark Registration No. 3,806,660 for E & S
  • U.S. Trademark Registration No. 3,608,504 for Live Life Counterclockwise

Ralph also has experience in opposition and cancellation proceedings. For example, in Opposition No. 91160352, Ralph helped successfully resolve an opposition to obtain registration of a trademark.

While in law school, Ralph was recognized as being one of the top students in the field of intellectual property law. He was awarded the ABA/BNA Intellectual Property Law Student of the Year and was also awarded the Student Leadership Award by the Pittsburgh Intellectual Property Law Association. Ralph was also awarded a Samuelson/Glushko Fellowship. During his fellowship, he wrote "The Expansion of Intellectual Property Rights by International Agreement: A Case Study Comparing Chile and Australia's Bilateral FTA Negotiations With the U.S.," which was published in the Loyola of Los Angeles International and Comparative Law Review. Ralph was also a notes and comments editor of the Journal of Law and Commerce.

Programs & Courses