As a registered patent attorney with a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Ryan Fletcher brings a deep understanding of technology, tireless attention to detail, and strong analytical thinking to his clients’ needs.
Ryan’s education is grounded in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical arts but his practice spans all aspects of intellectual property law. The diversity of Ryan’s practice gives him the foundation and experience to provide clients with creative and thoughtful solutions to complex intellectual property issues. Ryan strongly believes that every client relationship begins with effective communication.
Ryan is an experienced litigation attorney who has successfully represented clients in complex intellectual property disputes from the initial investigation through trial in district courts across the country and on appeal before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Ryan’s successful patent litigation experience covers the technology spectrum and includes medical devices, pharmaceutical compositions and laboratory testing techniques, computer software, window hardware, and container technology. He has also successfully represented clients in litigation over disputes arising from allegations of copyright infringement, trademark infringement, unfair business practices, trade secret misappropriation, and breach of contract.
Ryan’s litigation experience includes post grant proceedings at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. He has prepared several petitions for inter partes review and has guided clients from petition through a successful trial before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.
Ryan’s practice also includes patent prosecution and portfolio management. He has developed patent portfolio strategies and successfully prosecuted patents from invention disclosures through patent issuance in a variety of technology areas, including chemical compositions, medical devices, and pharmaceutical formulations. Relying on his litigation and patent prosecution experience, Ryan has provided clients in a range of fields with patentability assessments, invalidity options, non-infringement opinions, and intellectual property portfolio assessments.
Prior to joining Merchant, Ryan Fletcher studied the structure and function of minichromosome maintenance (MCM) proteins at the University of Colorado. He solved and published the x-ray crystallography structure for the n-terminal portion of an archaeal MCM protein, revealing a double hexamer formation. While at the University of Buffalo, Ryan studied the cellular distribution of iron in the brain of the Belgrade rat.
Outside the office, Ryan is in constant pursuit of outdoor adventure and Type II fun. He is an avid triathlete (2x 140.6, 6x 70.3), mountain biker (2x Breck Epic), and skier who had the pleasure of hiking the Annapurna Circuit with his wife. Ryan enjoys the process of preparing for and the journey of participating in an adventure more than the actual result. He is currently preparing for a week of backcountry skiing in Japan and trying to find time to ride the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (Banff, AB to Antelope Wells, NM (2768.4 miles)).