Matt Samuel, a principal in the Minneapolis office of Fish & Richardson, leads and tries patent litigation cases. He has successfully tried cases in key venues on the east and west coasts and in Minnesota. Mr. Samuel also counsels clients on patent due diligence considerations relating to freedom to operate and patent landscape studies, licensing, and patent enforcement. Mr. Samuel speaks regularly in the United States and in Japan on a variety of patent-related topics, including the ramifications of the America Invents Act.

Mr. Samuel’s clients are located in the United States, Asia, and the Middle East. His many longstanding relationships are marked by his ability to bond with clients, a deep commitment to client care, and a propensity for creating imaginative and practical solutions. With a background in electrical and biomedical engineering, he has represented several of the world’s leading medical device companies, including Terumo and Fresenius. He also represents Orbimed Advisors, the world’s largest health care investment firm.

As a prominent member of the firm’s Japan practice, Mr. Samuel frequently travels to Japan, where he has developed strong relationships with Japanese companies, patent lawyers (BenGoshi), and patent agents (BenRishi) over many years. He has served as lead counsel for Japanese companies in both district court and ITC patent litigation in jurisdictions across the United States. In 2011, Mr. Samuel spoke at the Joint Judicial Conference on Japan and U.S. Intellectual Property Rights held in Tokyo, a joint conference organized by the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the Japanese Intellectual Property High Court.

Mr. Samuel is also at the forefront of Fish & Richardson’s growing representation of Israeli companies, especially in the medical device and biotech areas. He has worked closely with several Israeli technology companies and venture funds on a variety of intellectual property matters, including intellectual property due diligence, development of comprehensive patent strategies, and United States patent litigation.

At the dawn of the e-commerce era, Mr. Samuel was lead counsel for Amazon Bookstore in its trademark infringement case against Amazon.com. The case was widely followed in the local and national press because of the contentiousness of the case and because it raised novel legal issues relating to the intersection of “traditional” trademark rights with rights developed in cyberspace.

Mr. Samuel’s experience in courtrooms throughout the United States, together with his commitment to nurturing client relationships in the United States and internationally, set the stage for remarkable client service and outstanding results. His ability to connect and communicate is evident in his role as the “Invention Expert” on Twin Cities Live, an afternoon variety show on Minnesota’s ABC affiliate. Several of his segments can be seen here.