Christopher E. Blank
Partner
Phone: (585) 389-0951 | Email: cblank@iplawusa.com
Christopher E. Blank is a Partner at Schmeiser Olsen and a registered patent attorney with extensive experience advising companies across a wide range of technologies, including medical devices, healthcare, hardware, semiconductors, software, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and ophthalmic solutions. He works closely with clients of all sizes, from startups to global enterprises, to develop, protect, and monetize intellectual property assets through strategic prosecution, licensing, and litigation support.
Chris brings a unique combination of academic, in-house, and private practice experience to his work. Prior to entering private practice, he served as a tenured Professor of Law at the New Hampshire School of Law, where he taught patent prosecution, application drafting, and patent and trademark policy. He also founded and directed the school’s Innovation Clinic, which provided intellectual property and business counseling to small businesses and individuals and was recognized by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for its significant community impact.
Before joining Schmeiser Olsen, Chris served as in-house patent counsel at Bausch & Lomb, Inc., where he developed and acquired intellectual property across the company’s contact lens, pharmaceutical, coatings, and ophthalmic solutions divisions. His experience spanning academia, corporate leadership, and private practice allows him to deliver practical, business-driven intellectual property strategies tailored to each client’s commercial goals.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
At Schmeiser Olsen, Chris advises clients on intellectual property strategy, patent prosecution, licensing, and litigation support across diverse industries. His practice includes negotiating and drafting complex technology-based licensing agreements in the software, medical device, and pharmaceutical sectors, as well as consulting and managing complex patent litigations.
Chris spent seven years teaching entrepreneurship and small business management at the Harvard Extension School, further strengthening his ability to advise startups and emerging companies. His earlier experience as a tenured law professor included teaching patent prosecution, application drafting, and patent and trademark policy, as well as founding and directing the Innovation Clinic, which served as a model public service program.
As in-house patent counsel at Bausch & Lomb, Chris led intellectual property development and acquisition efforts, managed litigation and trade secret matters, supported corporate acquisitions through due diligence and agreement drafting, and provided strategic counsel across multiple technology divisions.
EDUCATION
- J.D., New Hampshire School of Law
BAR ADMISSIONS
- United States Patent and Trademark Office
REPRESENTATIVE LICENSING ENGAGEMENTS
- Coordinated licensing and enforcement programs for electrical connector equipment, including due diligence support for mergers and acquisitions.
- Licensing strategy and negotiation for privately owned healthcare companies involving medical monitoring technology and competitive enforcement campaigns.
- Patent licensing and transaction support for fast-growing outdoor sporting goods companies, including merger and acquisition matters.
- Licensing of trade secrets and proprietary know-how for privately owned formulation companies.
- Licensing of medical devices and patent portfolios for Israeli-based companies to major manufacturers in the United States and worldwide, including foreign manufacturing and distribution rights.
NOTABLE CASES
- Degelman Industries v. Protech
- Elite Archery v. Kevin Strothers
- Tailored Lighting v. Osram Sylvania
- Target Technologies v. Williams Advanced Materials
- Williams Advanced Materials v. Target Technologies
- AptarGroup v. Summit Packaging
- WorldWide Medical Plastics v. MedeFab
- Henry J. Baron v. Bausch & Lomb
- Bausch & Lomb, Inc. v. Barnes Hind
- Cooper v. Sylvania, et al.