Fitch, Even, Tabin & Flannery

Infobox Law Firm
firm_name = Fitch, Even, Tabin & Flannery
firm_
headquarters =
num_offices = 6
num_attorneys = 50
practice_areas = Intellectual Property
date_founded = 1859
homepage = [http://www.fitcheven.com www.fitcheven.com]

Fitch, Even, Tabin & Flannery (Fitch Even) is a mid-sized law firm that specializes in intellectual property (IP) and technology-related law. The firm originated in Chicago, Illinois in 1859, and now has offices throughout the United States and an International client base. Fact|date=September 2007 Most of the firm's attorneys are registered U.S. patent attorneys (i.e., authorized to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and in at least one state in the U.S.) and have backgrounds in high-technology or the chemical and life sciences. [ [http://www.martindale.com/law_firm/918017-lawyers?PRV=OGO Lexis Nexis, Martindale-Hubbell] Retrieved on July 5, 2007]

Practice

Fitch Even's litigation practice involves all areas of IP including patent, trade secret, trademark, copyright, unfair competition and related commercial disputes. The firm served as counsel in the landmark patent case "Arrhythmia v. Corazonix" that dealt with the issue of patentable subject matter before the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals. [ [http://swiss.csail.mit.edu/6805/articles/int-prop/arrythmia.txt "Arrhythmia Research Technology, Inc., v. Corazonix Corp", 958 F.2d 1053.] Retrieved on July 5, 2007] The firm successfully argued that a software-based mathematical method used in monitoring a patient's heart was patentable subject matter. [ [http://swiss.csail.mit.edu/6805/articles/int-prop/arrythmia.txt Ibid.] Retrieved on July 5, 2007] The Federal Circuit relied on "Arrhythmia" in a subsequent case, "State Street v. Signature Financial", that expanded patentable subject matter to include business methods. [ [http://www.law.cornell.edu/patent/comments/96_1327.htm "State Street Bank & Trust Co. v. Signature Financial Group", 149 F.3d 1368.] Cornell Law. Retrieved on July 5, 2007] Or|date=September 2007

The firm also prepares and prosecutes foreign and domestic patent applications, as well as trademark and copyright applications. On average, more than 300 patents per year are issued by the U.S. Patent Office with Fitch Even listed as the legal representative. [ [http://www.iptoday.com/pdf/2007/3/Top%20Patent%20Firms-Mar2007.pdf "Top Patent Firms", IP Today.] Three-year average (2004-2006), pg. 3. Retrieved on July 5, 2007] The firm also filed over 470 trademark applications in 2006. [ [http://www.gtlaw.com/pub/media/2007/TrademarkInsider2006Annual.pdf "Annual Report 2006", Trademark Insider.] Fitch Even was ranked 33 among U.S. law firms for highest number of trademark applications filed, pg. 4. Retrieved on July 5, 2007]

Founding

Fitch Even is the oldest law firm in continuous practice in Chicago. [ [http://fitcheven.com/pdf/news/Brief_History_of_FETF.pdf "A Brief History of Fitch, Even, Tabin & Flannery"] , pg. 4. Retrieved on July 5, 2007] At its founding in 1859, Goodwin, Larned & Goodwin (Fitch Even's original name) was a general practice firm, but by 1877 the firm was holding itself out as a specialist in the area of IP. [ [http://fitcheven.com/pdf/news/Brief_History_of_FETF.pdf "Ibid."] , pg. 1-2. Retrieved on July 5, 2007] The firm has gone through several name changes in its existence, but the chain back to its founding in 1859 is yet to be broken. [ [http://fitcheven.com/pdf/news/Brief_History_of_FETF.pdf "Ibid."] , pg. 1-4. Retrieved on July 5, 2007] [ [http://www.fitcheven.com/about_us/firm_history.html "Firm History", Fitch Even] Retrieved on July 5, 2007]

Offices

*Boulder
*Chicago
*Los Angeles
*San Diego
*San Luis Obispo
*Washington, DC

Notes

External links

* [http://www.fitcheven.com/ Official Firm Website]