Overview

Jonathan W. Richards works closely with clients in the management and development of their IP portfolios by helping them identify and protect key innovations and technologies through careful selection of U.S. and foreign IP protection strategies. He holds extensive experience working with patent, trademark and copyright matters and conducts due diligence investigations focused on funding transactions, negotiating and documenting asset acquisition and licensing transactions. He also frequently manages the preparation of formal legal opinions on a variety of issues including patent validity, infringement, and non-infringement and design around strategies. Mr. Richards regularly works with clients in the presentation of in-house seminars designed to assist them with educational presentations to engineers and managers on intellectual property issues. His technical experience includes electronics and electrical engineering, computer systems, e-commerce, IT, mechanics, software, and mechanical engineering.

Mr. Richards also has extensive experience and expertise in trademarks and brand protection.  For many years, Mr. Richards actively served in various capacities with the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA), a national association of more than 16,000 intellectual property professionals, serving as the Secretary of the Association from 2008 to 2011, serving as Chair of the AIPLA Trademark Law Committee from 2007-2008, and serving as Co-Chair, Chair and Vice Chair of the AIPLA Trademark Treaties and International Law Committee from 2013 to 2015, 2005 to 2007 and 2003 to 2005, respectively.  In these various capacities, Mr. Richards regularly traveled to Geneva, Switzerland as an AIPLA representative at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (an organization of the United Nations) in proceedings of the Standing Committee on the Law of Trademarks, Industrial Designs and Geographical Indications (SCT) and the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Legal Development of the Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks (Madrid Working Group).  Through these committees, Mr. Richards provided input from the perspective of U.S. trademark owners and practitioners during committee meetings concerned with developing treaties and multi-national agreements directed to trademark law and related matters.  In March 2006, Mr. Richards participated as AIPLA’s representative in the Diplomatic Conference for the Revised Trademark Law Treaty (RTLT), held in Singapore, which culminated in its adoption as the Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks.

Experience

Experience
  • U.S. and International Prosecution of IP
  • U.S. and International Patent Prosecution
  • U.S. and International Trademark Prosecution
  • U.S. Copyright Registrations
  • Licensing, Other Transactional Work and Client Counseling

Education

Education
  • J.D., Order of the Coif, Southern Methodist University School of Law, 1984
  • B.S., cum laude, Electrical Engineering University of Utah, 1981

Admissions

Admissions
  • Utah State Bar
  • Texas State Bar
  • Registered Patent Attorney, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Achievements

Achievements
  • 2015 – 2022, The Best Lawyers in America©
  • 2014, 2015, “Utah Legal Elite”, Utah Business Magazine
  • 2003 – 2005, Representative, AIPLA, Standing Committee on the Law of Trademarks, World Intellectual Property Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
  • Adjunct Faculty, J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University
  • Chair of the Trademark Treaties and International Law Committee of the American Intellectual Property Law Association

Community Involvement

Community Involvement
  • National Advisory Council, University of Utah College of Engineering

Memberships

Memberships
  • American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA)
  • International Trademark Association (INTA)

Publications

Publications
  • Rick D. Nydegger & Jonathan W. Richards, Design Around Techniques, in Electronic And Software Patents: Law And Practice (Steven W. Lundberg & Stephen C. Durant eds., 2000) (2d ed. 2005).
  • Do You Know the Origin of your Website Content? . . . and Why You Should.

    Much has been written about patent trolls.  While not as widely publicized, trolls of a different flavor, namely copyright trolls,...
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  • Follow these Simple Guidelines to Strengthen your Trademark Rights

    In this day and age of heightened brand awareness, here are some basic principles to consider to help establish and...
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  • The “Quick & Dirty” Provisional – And Other Mythical Creatures

    Frequently, after discussing the potential costs associated with pursuing patent protection, a potential new client will ask:  “Can’t we just...
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  • Legal Fees and Engagement Letters – Rule 1.5 of the Utah Rules of Professional Conduct

    In the state of Utah, the relationship between an attorney and a client is based in part on Rule 1.5...
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  • Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Intellectual Property – Why hire a lawyer when you can do it yourself?

    The internet provides many wonderful benefits, but DIY intellectual property sites may not be all they’re cracked up to be. ...
    Read More

Michelle Stringham

Experience

  • 15 years at Workman Nydegger

Education

  • B.S., English, Weber State University

Contact Information
Email  mstringham@wnlaw.com
Phone  801-533-9800

Tyler Eller

Experience

  • 15 years at Workman Nydegger
  • Patent and Trademark Filings, U.S. and foreign
  • Management of Patent Portfolios

Education

  • B.A., English, University of Utah, 2009

Contact Information
Email  teller@wnlaw.com
Phone  801-533-9800

View his full bio here.

Languages

Languages
  • German