Fernandez & Associates counsels clients on innovative strategies to manage their IP assets, both offensively and defensively. In addition to patent procurement, we also counsel our clients on product protection and positioning for future licensing or acquisition options. Fernandez & Associates has several attorneys and agents with advanced technical degrees and job experience in system and circuit design, IC processing and packaging, MEMS, MOEMS and process tools. In addition, the firm has written numerous applications in the CAD and EDA areas. The firm also provides due diligence and infringement opinions on technology for potential investors or acquirers. Fernandez & Associates counsels Silicon Valley-based companies and universities, as well as clients abroad.
* Representative Semiconductor Clients:
Nanomix, ICMedia, Monterey Design, NDSP (Pixelworks), Marvell, SiRF, InPHI, Silicon Access, SummitMicro, VIA Technology, Pivotal (Broadcom), SandCraft (Raza), Silicon Perspective (Cadence), Stream Machine (Cirrus), Avanex, Genoa (Finisair), Cyras (Ciena).
The Semiconductor Team
Dennis S. Fernandez
Managing Partner, Fernandez & Associates LLP
Dennis has over twenty-years experience in Silicon Valley and High-Tech Industry, as a patent prosecutor and intellectual property litigator, a venture capitalist, and an engineering manager. He specializes in developing offensive and defensive patent strategies for start-up electronics, software and biotech companies and their investors.Dennis serves as strategic advisor to leading venture capital firms, including Sevin Rosen, Venrock, Charles River Ventures, and Walden International. Representative clients include Marvell Technology, SiRF Technology, Ayala Corporation, Stanford University, and Northwestern University, as well as various start-up companies acquired by Cisco, Broadcom, Ciena, and Cadence Design Systems.
He also serves on the Editorial Board of the Nanotechnology Law & Business Journal, the Board of Directors of the Association of Patent Law Firms, and the Science and Technology Advisory Council. Previously Dennis served on a consultancy with the United Nations Development Programme on Asian economic development.
Dennis is also an inventor of several U.S. and international patents in the areas of digital television, sensor networks, and bioinformatics. He has an Electrical Engineering degree from Northwestern University, a law degree from Suffolk University Law School, and is a Registered U.S. Patent Attorney.
Renee Jacowitz
Consultant & Technical Writer, Fernandez & Associates LLP
Renee has been a Consultant and Technical Writer at Fernandez & Associates LLP since 1999. She received her B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1986 and her M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from Stanford University in 1988.She prepares patents, portfolio assessment and validity, and infringement analysis in the areas of information technology, networking, telephone, e-commerce, optical, magnetic and electronic devices, optical, magnetic and electronic materials processing and nanotechnology. She previously worked at Hewlett Packard as Technical Project Manager and Technologist, Software Developer, and a member of the technical staff at the X-ray labs.
Robert Ko
Patent Agent, Fernandez & Associates LLP
Robert has 20 years of broad experience in technology research and product development in the area of semiconductor process development, ASIC methodology and design automation, FPGA innovation, flash memory device and process invention, and wireless technology.Robert’s expertise is in exploring patent applications to protect the intellectual property related to novel applications and managing patent applications and patent portfolios. He has held various engineering and management positions with companies such as Hewlett Packard, Wyse Technology, Silicon Storage Technology, Lumina, Arescom and Quickturn Design Systems, where he successfully oversaw a three year patent litigation process with the assistance of external patent litigation firms.
Robert received his M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley and his B.S. in Physics from the National Taiwan University in Taipei, Taiwan. He is also a patent agent registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
James Harris
Patent Agent, Fernandez & Associates LLP
James has over 20 years of experience as a high-tech engineer. His technical expertise includes MEMS processing and packaging, I.C. processing and packaging, as well as wafer bumping and environmental recycling. He has sixteen patents granted, four applications in process and ten technical publications.Jim received his Ph.D. in Material Science and B.S. in Metallurgy from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is also a registered agent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
