J. Rick Taché is a Shareholder in Buchalter’s Orange County office and firm-wide Co-Chair of the Intellectual Property Group. Mr. Taché is a registered patent attorney focusing his practice on intellectual property law, with an emphasis on patent and trademark litigation before the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, U.S. District Courts throughout the country, the International Trade Commission, and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. In addition to his litigation experience, Mr. Taché advises clients on a variety of complex transactions including mergers & acquisitions, licensing, joint ventures, joint development, OEM, and outsourcing agreements. His patent and trademark prosecution practice spans a variety of industries, including medical devices, aerospace, mechanical, software, hardware, Internet, business methods, and various other technologies.

Mr. Taché was formerly Assistant Chief Intellectual Property Counsel with McDonnell Douglas Company, Intellectual Property Counsel with the Boeing Corporation, General Counsel with Nomadix, Inc., and General Counsel with Northpole, Limited.  This in-house experience allows Mr. Taché to anticipate the needs of and deliver tailored legal services to his clients.

Professional Recognition

• Recognized in Intellectual Asset Management (IAM) Patent 1000: The World’s Leading Patent Practitioners, Globe White Page Ltd, 2014-2023.
• Recognized in Managing Intellectual Property Magazine, Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC, 2013-2014, 2017.

Bar Admissions

• California
• Arizona
• Michigan
• North Carolina
• U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Education

• University of Windsor, Canada
• University of Detroit, Mercy School of Law
• Ohio State University
• University of New Brunswick

Significant Accomplishments
<ul><li><em>Mobil Telecommunications Technologies, LLC v. Samsung Electronics Company: Counsel for Samsung successfully obtained a full defense verdict after jury trial of non-infringement of multiple patents relating to wireless messaging technology.*</em></li><li><em>Whitewater West Industries, LTD v. International Play Company, Inc.:</em> Counsel for Whitewater in a patent infringement lawsuit filed in the District of Oregon relating to interactive play structures and ball shooters. Obtained an early favorable settlement for Whitewater.<em> *</em></li><li><em>Too Faced Cosmetics, LLC v. Almar Sales, Inc.:</em> Counsel for Too Faced Cosmetics in a trademark and trade dress infringement lawsuit filed against a competitor in the Central District of California. The lawsuit involved key company products and trademarks. Obtained a favorable settlement on behalf of the client.<em> *</em></li><li>Counsel for industry leader in the food industry in a trademark infringement lawsuit filed against a competitor in the Southern District of California. The lawsuit involved the company’s principal brand. Obtained a favorable settlement on behalf of our client after the filing of a Motion for a Preliminary Injunction.<em> *</em></li><li>Counsel for world’s largest international hotel chain in a patent infringement lawsuit filed in the Eastern District of Texas. The lawsuit involved a number of patents to internet-based reservations systems. Successfully settled the lawsuit after challenging the validity and enforceability of the patents in suit.<em> *</em></li><li><em>Kobayashi Ventures, LLC. V. PTPapertech, Inc.:</em> Counsel for Papertech in a patent infringement lawsuit filed in the Eastern District of Virginia (successfully transferred to the Southern District of New York). The lawsuit involved a number of patents relating to web vision event capturing technology used in the pulp and paper industry. Successfully settled the lawsuit after challenging the validity and enforceability of the patents in suit.”<em> *</em></li><li><em>University of the South v. Education Management Corporation:</em> Counsel for EDMC in a trademark infringement lawsuit filed by the University of the South in the Eastern District of Tennessee regarding the use of the mark South University. Damages at issue were estimated to be in excess of Sixty Million Dollars. Obtained a favorable settlement for EDMC after successfully defending a four day preliminary injunction hearing.<em> *</em></li><li>Counsel for industry leader in the baby products industry defending against a patent lawsuit filed by a major competitor in the Central District of California. The lawsuit involved a design patent relating to playards. Obtained a favorable settlement on behalf of our client.<em> *</em></li><li>Counsel for industry leader in the baby products industry defending against a patent lawsuit filed by a major competitor in the International Trade Commission, The ITC Proceeding involved five patents relating to baby strollers and playards. Obtained a favorable settlement based upon a series of summary judgment motions filed challenging the validity of the patents at issue.<em> *</em></li><li>Counsel for industry leader in the baby products industry defending against a patent lawsuit filed by a competitor in the Central District of California. The lawsuit involved two patents relating to baby strollers. Prevailed on a series of summary judgment motions resulting in both patent at issue being declared invalid. <em>*</em></li><li><em>Whitewater West Industries, LTD v. Spiashtacuiar, Inc.:</em> Counsel for Whitewater in a patent infringement lawsuit filed in the District of Colorado relating to water-based amusement attractions. Obtained a favorable settlement after successfully concluding the Markman Hearing and filing Motions for Summary Judgment.<em> *</em></li><li><em>Whitewater West Industries, LTD v. Vortex Aquatic Structures International, Inc.:</em> Counsel for Whitewater in a patent infringement lawsuit filed in the District of Colorado relating to interactive play structures. Obtained a favorable settlement after successfully concluding the Markman Hearing.<em>*</em></li><li><em>* Represents experience from a previous law firm.</em></li></ul>

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