John Hemmer focuses on patent counselling in the mechanical engineering, industrial design, and life science fields. He collaborates with clients to help them identify patenting opportunities, protect and leverage competitive advantages, manage patent portfolios, and avoid patent infringement. John also works with clients on potential litigation, freedom-to-operate, and due diligence assessments in the context of joint development, licensing, and corporate transactions. John is the co-leader of the firm’s technology IP non-disputes practice, co-leader of the IP Defense Industry Working Group, and deputy leader of the Philadelphia IP practice.
Drawing on his technical background in mechanical engineering, John helps clients secure and leverage utility and design patents for a wide variety of technologies, including medical devices such as orthopedic devices, drug delivery devices, and surgical instruments, biotech manufacturing equipment, military helmets and accessories, industrial safety barriers, consumer products and packaging, sporting goods, athletic apparel, home security systems, smart speakers and displays, plumbing fixtures, cleantech technologies, automotive mechanisms, electromechanical devices, pet accessories, and mobility devices. With his experience in design patents, clients turn to John to protect their most important and innovative industrial designs and user interfaces.
John is active in community affairs and volunteers for Neighborhood Bike Works, a nonprofit that helps youth in underserved neighborhoods in greater Philadelphia through bicycling. He also is a member of the Penn State Scholar Alumni Society Board, helping to connect, engage, and support alumni and current students of the Schreyer Honors College.
Recognized, Patent Law, Philadelphia, The Best Lawyers in America (2020, 2022–2024)
Recommended, Patents: prosecution (including re-examination and post-grant proceedings, The Legal 500 US (2020)
Rising Star, Pennsylvania Super Lawyers (2016–2020)
Member, Practice Group of the Year, Intellectual Property, Law360 (2019)
Member, Litigation Department of the Year–Intellectual Property, The American Lawyer (2019)