Mr. Gache´ is a registered patent attorney with the U.S. Patent
and Trademark Office. He counsels clients in all areas of intellectual
property law, with a nonexclusive focus on protecting intellectual property
("IP") for computer hardware and software manufacturers, computer electronics
manufacturers, and internet business model companies. Russ is also an
electrical engineer and enjoys combining his technical engineering skills
with the complicated nature of IP law, such as patent drafting. He understands
how to capture the value of IP for companies and individuals, and excels
at focusing precious financial resources on IP that will bring the largest
return to his clients. Mr. Gache´ has represented clients ranging in
size from one person start-ups to fortune 1000 companies, such as Colonial
Bank and AmSouth Bank.
Credentials:
Education and Honors:
Cumberland School of Law (J.D., 1995); Member,
American Journal of Trial Advocacy
Duke University School of Engineering (B.S.E.E., 1983)
Admitted to Practice:
Alabama
District of Columbia
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Professional Affiliations:
Alabama State Bar Association, International Law (Manager of section
web site, 1996-1997), and Intellectual Property Law (Secretary)
Intellectual Property, Entertainment and Sports Law (Vice Chair, 2008-2010)
Birmingham Bar Association, Computer Technology Committee
Alabama Information Technology Association ("AITA"), Board
of Directors
Formerly served on the Legislation Review Committee for the Electronic
Signatures Act (UETA) for the Alabama Law Institute
Selected by the Mayor of Birmingham in June 2002 to serve on the Board
of Directors of the Birmingham Technology Leadership Alliance (BATLA,
also known as Tech Birmingham)
The Gas Turbine Builders Association
Civic Activities:
Tres Dias of Birmingham
Prior to Becoming a Lawyer:
Prior to law school, Mr. Gache´ graduated
from the Duke University School of Engineering and was employed
at Texas Instruments in their semiconductor division from 1983-1987.
From 1987-1992 he was employed at LSI Logic Corporation as sales
engineer where his responsibilities included negotiating and directing
LSI's subcontracts pertaining to the design and manufacture of
customized computer chips and design software, primarily for LSI's
military customers in Florida. In this position he worked with
companies such as Harris, Martin Marietta (now Martin Lockheed),
Honeywell, E-Systems, and Hughes Aerospace. Russ entered law school
in 1992 and graduated in 1995. After taking his bar exams, he
was licensed by the State of Alabama and the United States Patent
and Trademark Office in September of 1995. Russ is also licensed
in the District of Columbia.
Prior To Joining The Gache Law Firm:
After graduating from law school in 1995, Russ
worked for Veal & Associates, a small IP boutique focusing mainly
on patents and trademarks, and related litigation. He then joined
Sirote & Permutt in 1998 where he helped them establish a robust
IP department in a general practice firm. In 2008, he joined the
law firm of Maynard Cooper & Gale, where he represented a broad
range of IP clients. He joined his wife Dana Gache´, an accomplished
corporate and health care attorney, in the Gache´ Law Firm
in July of 2011.
Representative
Legal Actions:
Successfully defended a gourmet dog product manufacturer client
against a claim of trademark infringement from a domain name
owner having a similar domain name. A federal district court
in Birmingham, AL entered a final judgment in favor of the client
dismissing all claims and awarding the client its attorney's
fees of $200k to defend the action.
Filed a patent infringement action against a friction stir
welding machine manufacturer in federal district court in Huntsville,
AL. The parties settled their disputed claims by entering into
a licensing arrangement under the patents in suit.
Successfully defended a New Jersey lamp fixture manufacturer
in a copyright infringement action filed in Mobile, AL by obtaining
a favorable settlement at a fraction of the original demand.
Successfully defended a patent infringement action filed in
Birmingham, AL against a client selling digital sports game
cameras by having the case transferred to a less favorable Texas
jurisdiction.
Successfully defended a residential home designer against
a claim of copyright infringement for the sale of a home design
in Birmingham, AL.
Successfully obtained a federal trademark registration for
the Vulcan statue overlooking Birmingham, AL for the Vulcan
Park Foundation by appealing to the Trademark Trial and Appeal
Board a final refusal to register the statue by the U.S. Trademark
Office. U.S. Ser. No. 76-579511.
Successfully obtained a federal trademark registration for
the mark "Colonial Bank" by canceling another bank's
pre-existing and conflicting federal registration for the mark
"Colonial Bank USA." U.S. Reg. Nos. 2,545,610; 2,545,613.
Representative Patents Obtained
for Clients:
Simultaneous Dual Polarization Radar System with Optical Communications
Link: U.S.
Pat. No. 7,760,129
AmSouth Bank
Colonial Bank
Colonial Properties
Enterprise Electronics Corporation
Compass Marketing
Consolidated Pipe & Supply
CPSI
Applied Data Trends
Astan, Inc.
Deposits Online
DTI Partners, Inc.
Fast Health Corporation
Future Research Corporation
Higher Ground Roasters
Global Eye Monitor
King Kutter, Inc.
MCM Custom Vehicles
Mission Solutions Engineering
Mobular Technologies
Anivision, Inc.
Vulcan Park Foundation
Symmetry Prosthetics
Tensor Corporation
Vulcan Threaded Products
Nidek Medical Supplies
Space Camp
Teksouth Corporation
Grits, Inc.
Up and Running, Inc.
Xante Corporation