Leading intellectual property law firm Fish & Richardson has appointed Principals Benjamin Elacqua and Christina McDonough – recognized early pioneers in standard essential patents – as co-leaders of the firm’s Standard Essential Patents (SEP) Practice.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250908707378/en/

Benjamin Elacqua, Principal & Standard Essential Patents Practice Co-Leader

With decades of combined experience trailblazing global SEP litigation and patent protection, Elacqua and McDonough bring strategic vision and deep subject-matter knowledge to one of the most complex and high-stakes areas of IP law. Together, they lead a team of attorneys and technical specialists with unmatched depth who are dedicated to helping clients navigate SEP diligence, negotiation, patent protection, and enforcement across industries and jurisdictions.

The formalization of the SEP Practice reflects Fish’s ongoing leadership in providing a coordinated, cross-functional approach that integrates litigation, patent prosecution, post-grant, licensing, and compliance with standards and FRAND obligations to support clients in a variety of technical sectors and geographies. Backed by more than two decades of experience, the firm has filed more than 4,700 SEP patent applications and handled over 220 SEP litigation matters—more than any other firm—including more than 100 cases in U.S. district courts and over 90 before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.

“Ben and Christina bring deep, complementary perspectives to SEP leadership,” said Fish & Richardson President & CEO John Adkisson. “They understand the strategic and technical complexity our clients face, and will continue to deliver the sophisticated, efficient, and globally coordinated counsel our clients require.”

Elacqua will lead the practice from the litigation side. A nationally recognized trial lawyer, his teams developed the strategy behind some of the largest global SEP litigations of the past decade involving technologies such as 5G, Wi-Fi, and HEVC. Equally important, he has helped clients avoid litigation through his work in negotiating complex SEP licenses.

“As more companies incorporate standardized technologies into their products, SEP disputes are becoming more common — and more consequential,” said Elacqua. “Our goal is to help clients navigate these challenges with clarity and confidence, and to deliver positive results.”

McDonough will lead from the patent strategy side of the practice. Her work focuses on SEP patenting strategies, portfolio development, SEP acquisition due diligence, royalty optimization and standards-related counseling, particularly in telecommunications, video codecs and emerging technologies.

“We’re proud to lead a team that combines technical fluency with top-tier client service,” said McDonough. “Whether it’s developing strong, forward-looking patent portfolios or advising on complex prosecution strategies, we’re equipped to guide clients through every stage of the innovation lifecycle.”

Fish’s SEP practice is built on the firm’s renowned technical depth and international litigation experience. Clients benefit from the team’s experience-led staffing model, which enables agile strategy development and cost-effective execution. With more than 120 Ph.D.s and over 400 STEM degrees across the firm, Fish attorneys and technical specialists are uniquely equipped to understand the technologies at the heart of SEP disputes and to guide clients through every phase of patent prosecution, litigation, and licensing.

For more information, visit: Standard Essential Patents (SEP) Law Firm | Fish & Richardson.

About Fish & Richardson

Fish & Richardson is the leading intellectual property law firm, trusted by visionaries across eras to protect their IP since our founding in 1878. Our IP litigation, prosecution, and post-grant experience is unmatched across venues and prosecution needs. We touch more PTAB cases, IP appeals, and utility patents than anyone else, and no national firm handles more District Court patent cases. Our 400+ attorneys and technology specialists — many of whom are also scientists — put that experience to work for worldwide innovators from our 15 locations in the U.S., Germany, and China. We plan today’s IP strategy with tomorrow in mind and distill our vast technical and legal knowledge to resonate with business leaders and juries. For more information, visit fr.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and X.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250908707378/en/