Speakers

Matt is a Partner counseling clients in the fields of patent, trademark and trade secret law, in addition to representing clients in IP transactions, disputes and litigation. Matt has over a decade of experience in working with clients to obtain patents, develop patent and trade secret strategies, and litigate patent and trade secret disputes in federal court. Matt's background as a Chemical Engineer allows Matt to work across many different industries, including the chemical, polymer, pharmaceutical, medical device and consumer products industries. Matt also counsels clients in trademark clearance and prosecution, enforcement, and litigation. Matt works closely with clients in industries including higher education, food, pharmaceuticals, entertainment and consumer products to develop and protect key brands. In addition, Matt represents clients in negotiating all manner of IP agreements including licenses, sales, joint ventures and coexistence agreements. Matt has also experienced the client side of IP counseling, having been awarded three patents from the USPTO as a product development engineer for Federal Mogul before attending law school. Matt is a proud graduate of Penn State and is active with the University. In particular, he has participated in Penn State's educational seminars and programs, including sponsoring and attending the Invent Penn State Venture & IP Conference since its inception.

Sean M. Douglass is a seasoned Intellectual Property Attorney with extensive experience in patent and trademark development, prosecution, and portfolio management.  With a deep expertise in a range of technical fields, including computer science, financial technology, healthcare technology, blockchain, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and telecommunications, Sean excels in navigating the complex landscape of IP law to safeguard and advance clients' innovation. 

In the realm of patent development, Sean is adept at reviewing invention disclosures, conducting detailed interviews with inventors and clients, and providing thorough invention and patentability analyses.  Their strategic approach includes freedom-to-operate analyses and advising on design-around options to ensure comprehensive protection for clients' intellectual assets. 

Sean brings a wealth of experience to patent drafting and presecuting applications before the USPTO, including handling appeals before the Patent Trail and Appeal Board.  Sean has proven track record in managing patent portfolios across various fields and supervising foreign counsel in jurisdictions such as Canada, Mexico, the EPO, Great Britain, China, South Korea, Japana, Singapore, Australia, India, and Brazil.  

Prior to joining Pantich Schwarze, Sean was an in-house patent attorney for a Fourtune 100 Global Technology Corporation, where he drafted and prosecuted patent applications based on inventor consultation and invention disclosures. 

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 wide range of technical subjects including mechanical, electrical, electronic, e-commerce, biotech, chemical, metallurgical and computer fields.  Ralph has obtained and litigated patents on 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 also provides mediation, neutral evaluation, and special master services.  For example, the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania has approved him to serve as a mediator and an early neutral evaluator and to be appointed as a special master appointment. 

Earlier in his career, Ralph was honored by his peers and selected for inclusion in the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Rising Stars listed for 2012-2019 and was selected as an "Associate to Watch" by Chambers USA. He has since been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America since 2019 under the Litigation - Intellectual Property and Patent Law categories. 

Joe serves as Assistant Director of Physical Sciences Licensing at Penn State University's Office of Technology Transfer, where he strategically manages a portfolio of over 300 engineering and physical sciences technologies. Drawing on 25+ years of engineering expertise and a Master's in Systems Engineering from Penn State, Joe expertly guides innovations through commercialization pathways, develops IP protection strategies, and negotiates licensing agreements that successfully transition academic research to industry. His background includes work at Penn State's Applied Research Laboratory and positions at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office and Remcom, Inc., providing him with the unique ability to bridge communication between researchers and industry partners while maximizing the impact of university innovations.