Richard W. Martin, Ph.D.

Associate

Richard W. Martin, Ph.D., is a registered patent attorney focusing on litigation, counseling, and prosecution in the life sciences sector. Rich represents universities, emerging biotechnology companies, and large pharmaceutical clients before US District Courts and the US Patent and Trademark Office. His practice encompasses diverse technical subject matter, including biologic and small molecule pharmaceuticals, stem cells, transgenic animal and plant technology, genomics, metabolomics, microbiomics, and diagnostic methods.

Extended Profile

Rich represents clients in District Court patent litigation, post-grant proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board—including interference and inter partes review—and before arbitral tribunals. His practice includes disputes under the Hatch-Waxman and BPCIA Acts, as well as pre-litigation counseling on patent validity, infringement, and freedom-to-operate issues. Rich also maintains an active prosecution practice, preparing and prosecuting patents before the USPTO, internationally under the Patent Cooperation Treaty, and coordinating prosecution in various foreign jurisdictions.

Rich received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in the department of molecular genetics and cell biology. His doctoral work focused on the role of the breast cancer susceptibility gene BRCA1 in maintaining genome integrity, particularly its involvement in DNA signaling and repair pathways.

Before joining Morgan Lewis, Rich was an associate at a Chicago-based Intellectual Property boutique where he focused on life sciences patent matters. Prior to and during law school he served as a technical advisor with two prominent patent litigation practices.