Eric P. Raciti

Partner

Eric Raciti is a resident partner of Finnegan's European office in Brussels, Belgium. He focuses his practice on intellectual property counseling, particularly in the fields of alternative energy and medical devices. Among the diverse technologies that he has focused on are cardiac rhythm management, medical diagnostics, orthopedics, neuroscience, cardiology, neuroradiology, biofuels, and smart grid management. Mr. Raciti chairs Finnegan's alternative energy practice.

Mr. Raciti works with start-up and established companies to develop comprehensive and sophisticated patent strategies, including strategic patent procurement, portfolio development, and competitive intelligence and analysis. Mr. Raciti assists clients to understand the competitive patent landscape surrounding their technologies, and helps identify opportunities to develop and leverage portfolios. He also has provided freedom-to-operate guidance to clients introducing new products to the market, as well as due diligence for acquisitions and financing rounds.

Mr. Raciti began his career as a management consultant for a large health insurance company. While attending law school, he worked for five years at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) as a patent examiner in the medical device arts. Following his studies for a Masters of Law degree in European Community competition law, he served as an attorney for the commissioner of patents in the USPTO's Office for Legislative and International Affairs. After entering private practice, Mr. Raciti worked for a prominent Boston general practice firm, gaining experience in agreement drafting and corporate transactions involving intellectual property, as well as patent prosecution and strategic IP counseling of medical device companies.

Highlights

• Performed competitive IP landscape analysis for prominent company in alternative energy field.
• Provided comprehensive competitor review for large medical device company involving thousands of patents.
• Provided portfolio development and freedom-to-operate counseling for medical client in crowded and litigious technology field.
• Provided IP legal representation for client in acquisition negotiations with major market player.

Professional Activities

• American Bar Association (vice-chair, Intellectual Property Law Committee of the Tort Trial & Insurance Section, 2010-2011; member, Intellectual Property and International Law Sections)
• American Intellectual Property Law Association (Committees on Patent Law and International Law, 1997-present)
• Boston Patent Law Association (co-chair, Medical Devices Committee, 2007-2011; Committee on Patent Law, 1997-present)

Select Publications

• Coauthor. "A Summer Bunfight: USPTO First Action Interview Program Plus Two New Numbers by the Supremes," CIPA Journal, Sept. 2011.
• Coauthor. "Is IP Standing in the Way of a Green Planet?" Renewable Energy World, Nov. 5, 2010.
• Coauthor. "Greentech IP Landscaping," Greentech Media, June 30, 2010.
• Coauthor. "Healthcare Reform Calls for Proactive IP Portfolios," Medical Design, Oct. 2009.
• "Patent Standards and Investment in Alterative Energy", Law360, Feb. 1, 2008.
• "A Trap for the Wary: How Compliance with FDA Medical Device Regulations Can Jeopardize Patent Rights," IDEA, 2006.