R. Parrish Freeman
Registered Patent Attorney • Shareholder
Education
J.D., Campbell University School of Law
B.A., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chemistry
Expertise
Patent Litigation • Trademark Litigation • Complex Commercial Litigation • Inter Partes Review Proceedings • Internet Domain Name Disputes
Parrish is an experienced litigator whose practice is focused primarily on patent, trademark, and other intellectual property and complex commercial matters. He is continually listed in Best Lawyers in America© lists for Litigation – Patent; Litigation – Intellectual Property; Patent Law; and Trademark Law.
Parrish grew up in Tennessee, attended college and law school in North Carolina, then moved to the mountains of Utah where he has been handling patent and other intellectual property disputes since 1998. Whether it’s dealing with allegations of infringement, coordinating a large-scale enforcement effort, or negotiating a license, Parrish is adept at helping his clients navigate the complex intellectual property issues they encounter daily. Parrish has litigated patent cases across a wide spectrum of technologies, from very complicated chemical, electrical, and software matters to relatively simple mechanical cases. And while his undergraduate degree is in chemistry, it is his proven ability to assimilate any technology, along with a nuanced understanding of patent law that only years of experience can bring, that makes him a valued senior member of the Maschoff Brennan litigation practice group.
As a registered patent attorney, Parrish is also equipped to prosecute matters before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), although he has focused his practice over the years on enforcing and defending intellectual property rights rather than procuring them. In recent years, however, Parrish’s practice has grown to include certain USPTO proceedings such as inter partes review (IPR) and the other post-issuance patentability challenge proceedings (CBM and PGR) created by the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act of 2011. Parrish’s understanding of the interplay between these new administrative proceedings and traditional infringement litigation has given his clients a real advantage over their adversaries.
Parrish has also handled a number of trademark enforcement matters over the years, with an emphasis on helping trademark rights holders protect their brands on the Internet and in domain name disputes. In many cases, Parrish has helped his clients save considerable time and money by reaching their enforcement goals through UDRP proceedings rather than through conventional litigation. More recently, Parrish has brought added value to his trademark clients by closely following the development of the new generic top-level domains (New gTLDs) and advising with regard to URS, TMCH, and the variety of other rights protection mechanisms trademark owners have at their disposal in this new and expanding space. To read Parrish’s cover article on this subject in the ABA IP Section’s Landslide® Magazine, click here.
Parrish often writes and lectures in the areas of Internet trademark enforcement and electronic discovery in patent cases. He currently volunteers his time as the chair of the American Bar Association Intellectual Property Section’s Committee 601 (Trial and Appellate Rules Committee), and as a subcommittee co-chair for the American Intellectual Property Law Association’s Trademark Internet Committee.
Away from work, Parrish enjoys serving as a USA Swimming Official at swim meets around the country, mountain biking, and Nordic skiing.
My Focus
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technical experience
Medical Devices
Pharmaceuticals
Computer Hardware and Software
Telecommunication Hardware and Software
Heavy Machinery
Home Electronics
Biodegradable Plastics and Cleaners
Chemical Compositions and Processes
Blow-Molded Plastics
Sports Equipment
Synthetic Fuels
Health and Fitness Equipment
Nutritional Supplements
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Professional Admissions & Associations
Utah State Bar
Tennessee State Bar
United States Patent and Trademark Office
American Bar Association, Intellectual Property Section
Chair, Trial and Appellate Rules Committee
Member, CLE Board 2018 – 2020
Member, Patent Litigation Committee
American Intellectual Property Law Association
Vice Chair, Trademark Internet Committee
Member, David K. Winder Intellectual Property American Inn of Court
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Publications & Presentations
Publications
“Hey, that’s my idea!” Why protecting your ideas requires more than being first, The Enterprise (October 13, 2020)
Landslide Magazine, Vol. 6, No. 6, July / August 2014, “Surviving the Coming Flood of New Generic Top-Level Domains – How to Keep Your Property Safe and Dry”
Attorney at Law Magazine, March 2014, “Taming the Cost of Patent Litigation: E-Discovery Cost Control”
Utah Business Journal, August 2012, “Change in Domain – How New Generic Top-Level Domains Will Change the Internet”
Lexology Blog Post 4/6/2012 – “Reining in Litigation Expense – Chief Judge Rader Speaks Out on E-Discovery and Other Issues”
Lexology Blog Post 10/5/2011 – “Are Your Trademarks Protected From Becoming .xxx Domain Names? They May Not Be Unless You Act Before October 28”
Presentations
Presentation to Nevada State Bar Intellectual Property Section – Recent Developments in Federal Circuit Law of Indefiniteness – 10/23/2015
Panel Discussion for Licensing Executives Society on State and Federal Anti-Troll Legislation – 5/16/2014
CLE Presentation sponsored by Utah State University on Inter Partes Review and Covered Business Method Review Proceedings – 4/10/2014
CLE Presentation on Inter Partes Review and Covered Business Method Review Proceedings – 3/27/2014
CLE Presentation to Utah State Bar on State Demand Letter Legislation – 3/25/2014
CLE Presentation to Utah State Bar Spring Meeting on New Generic Top-Level Domains – 3/14/2014
CLE Presentation on Inter Partes Review and Covered Business Method Review Proceedings – 2/21/2014
CLE Presentation on Inter Partes Review and Covered Business Method Review Proceedings – 12/11/2013
CLE Presentation on Trademark Clearinghouse and New gTLDs – 3/22/2013
CLE Presentation to American Intellectual Property Law Association on Electronic Discovery in Patent Cases – 9/5/2012
Moderator for Roundtable Discussion featuring Chief Judge Randall R. Rader to ABA IP Section 27th Annual Conference regarding Federal Circuit Advisory Council’s Model Order on E-Discovery in Patent Litigation – 3/28/2012
CLE Presentation to Tennessee Intellectual Property Law Association on Internet Domain Name Disputes – 4/22/2011
CLE Presentation to Tennessee Bar Association on Recent Federal Circuit Cases – 7/25/2010
CLE Presentation on Electronic Discovery – 10/5/2007
CLE Presentation on Internet Domain Name Disputes – 4/21/2006
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Awards & Recognitions
Named as Lawyer of the Year 2021 in Trademark Law by Best Lawyers in America©
Best Lawyers in America© 2023: Litigation – Patent; Litigation – Intellectual Property; Patent Law; and Trademark Law
Best Lawyers in America© 2022: Litigation – Patent; Litigation – Intellectual Property; Patent Law; and Trademark Law
Best Lawyers in America© 2020: Litigation – Intellectual Property; Litigation – Patent; Patent Law
Best Lawyers in America© 2018: Litigation – Patent; Litigation – Intellectual Property; Patent Law; and Trademark Law
Best Lawyers in America© 2017: Litigation – Patent; Litigation – Intellectual Property; and Trademark Law
Best Lawyers in America© 2016: Litigation – Patent; Litigation – Intellectual Property; and Trademark Law
Best Lawyers in America© 2015: Litigation – Patent and Litigation – Intellectual Property