How Automotive Counsel are Responding to Industry Changes

By Rani Mehta

Director Ryan C. Richardson was quoted in the Managing IP article “How Automotive Counsel are Responding to Industry Changes,” which features external counsel for automotive companies explaining how trends such as AI and vehicle connectivity affect their practices and what their clients prioritize. The following is an excerpt from the article:

“Ryan Richardson, director at Sterne Kessler in Washington DC, who focuses on post-grant work and litigation, says the biggest issues he’s seen from his automotive clients relate to connectivity.

Richardson notes that both these findings encompass the issue of connectivity.

‘It has continued to be the biggest concern on both sides from patent owners looking to enforce their rights and from implementers looking to defend themselves,’ he says.

Richardson notes that his firm makes sure to have a good sense of what has gone on in litigation in the auto industry in the last couple of years.

‘There’s been a lot of activity and if you understand what’s going on, you can give your clients some good guidance going forward. You can understand what their potential exposure is. Once they have that information, they can start to make informed decisions,’ he says.

‘But without knowing that information, it’s a challenging space to get up to speed on as a case develops.”