Robert H. Fischer

  • Adjunct Professor

Education

B.S., Engineering, Cooper Union, 1973
Master’s in Engineering, Stanford University, 1974
J.D., University of California, Berkeley, 1979
Editor, California Law Review


 

Summary of Professional Experience

Robert Fischer has more than thirty years of experience practicing in intellectual property matters.

The Chair of the Licensing and Transactions Practice Group of his previous firm, Mr. Fischer has had major responsibility for the intellectual property aspects of large transactions, including joint venture formations, refinancings and sales of businesses, as well as evaluations of the intellectual property positions, from both asset and competitive viewpoints, of acquisitions contemplated by U.S. and non-U.S. entities. Exemplary transactions on which Mr. Fischer has worked include:

  • sale of Fortune 500 corporation’s industrial products divisions to private equity firm;
  • preparation of bid package for division of major industrial company;
  • sale of assets of supplier of computer systems to major semiconductor company;
  • formation of alternative energy joint venture between U.S. and foreign owners;
  • investment by petrochemical company in biofuels company and follow-up transactions;
  • sale to European company of the common stock shares of an alternative energy business held by U.S. and Asian corporations; and
  • transactions involving a leading silicon valley entrepreneur’s computer and software company.

Mr. Fischer has extensive experience in preparing and negotiating technology-related contracts, such as technology licenses, development agreements, supply agreements, manufacturing agreements, technology assignments and intellectual property employment agreements. He also has a substantial opinion and counseling practice, including evaluating a client’s ability to market products free from third party infringement claims and determine what types of intellectual property to rely upon to protect the product. Mr. Fischer has provided numerous written patent opinions dealing with infringement, patent validity and patent enforceability. Further, Mr. Fischer has substantial experience in electrical, software and mechanical patent prosecution, including supervision of associates and other partners in handling the patent preparation and prosecution work of clients in the securities trading and e-commerce fields.

Mr. Fischer’s career has included numerous representations of clients in actions before the Federal District Courts, ITC, and in USPTO inter partes reviews and patent interferences.

Mr. Fischer has served as an Adjunct Professor at Pace University School of Law teaching a patent law course. He was also counsel of record for the American Intellectual Property Law Association’s amicus brief to the United States Supreme Court in Pfaff v. Wells Electronics, Inc.

Mr. Fischer is recognized as a New York Super Lawyer in the 2012-2016 editions and is listed in the 2017 issue of The Best Lawyers in America. He is also listed in the 2013-2016 editions of IP Stars, Managing Intellectual Property and IAM Patent 1000 from 2013 through 2016. Super Lawyers is published by Thomson Reuters. Best Lawyers is published by Best Lawyers in partnership with US News and World Report. IAM Patent 1000 is published by Globe Business Media Group.

Bar Admissions

State of New York; U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit; U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Contact Information

Special Counsel (licensed to practice in NYS and USPTO only)
McCarter & English
One Canterbury Green
Stamford, CT 06901
tel.: (203) 399-5916
fax: (203) 399-5809
email: rfischer@mccarter.com