
Overview
RJ has tried over 60 cases to jury verdict in federal court as lead trial counsel. These include both civil and criminal cases involving patent infringement, trade secret misappropriation, bank, computer and healthcare fraud, false claims, bribery, public corruption and environmental violations. RJ has handled hundreds of hearings including bench trials, preliminary injunctions, suppression and sentencing evidentiary hearings, summary judgment and other dispositive hearings and appeals. He has submitted and argued as lead counsel in over 40 criminal and civil appeals before the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and Federal Circuits and the Illinois and Minnesota Appellate Courts.
RJ’s intellectual Property practice focuses on patent and trade secret counseling and litigation and USPTO post grant reviews and re-examinations.
RJ’s government enforcement and corporate investigations practice focuses on counseling, compliance, internal investigations, and defense of government enforcement actions and investigations.
Education & Admissions
University of Illinois (J.D., 1989), summa cum laude; Order of the Coif; Notes and Comments Editor
Illinois Institute of Technology (B.S.E.E., 1979), Computer Science Minor
Admissions
- United States Patent and Trademark Office
- Illinois
- Minnesota
- U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
Languages
- Spanish, Arabic
Clerkships
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Chief Judge John F. Grady, 1989-1991
Experience
Representative Work
Intellectual Property
RJ’s experience includes counseling, asserting, and defending patents and trade secret claims for clients such as Canon, Micron Technology, AT&T, Honeywell, Valspar, Mosaic, Mate Precision, St. Jude Medical, AGA Medical, Tyco Healthcare, 3M, Endress & Hauser, ANGUS Chemical, Alcatel, U.S. Cellular, Aetna, Levapan S.A., Menard’s, Fiber Composites, Signal Technology, ASICS, Boston Scientific, Spectralytics and OmniActive Health Technologies.
RJ has handled matters involving wireless communications and protocols, electronic consumer products, electronic control systems, digital Coriolis flowmeters, encryption devices, personal identification devices, memory devices, digital and analog circuits, electrical transmission systems, telecommunication devices and systems, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, systematic investment models, nutraceuticals and nutritional supplements, multi-modal polymers, adhesives, composites, and electrical, chemical and mechanical processes.
Prior to law school, RJ worked seven years as a hardware and software design engineer for Honeywell, Inc., designing microprocessor based instrumentation and digital and analog circuitry for environmental control systems used in commercial buildings and complexes. He received the Honeywell Technical Excellence Award for his design of software and hardware controlled memory device and circuit board testing system.
Government Enforcement and Corporate Investigations
RJ’s extensive experience includes investigating, prosecuting, and defending complex white-collar cases. While at the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Minnesota, RJ led the investigation and prosecution of hundreds of criminal cases involving bribery and corruption; bank, computer, healthcare, mail, securities, tax and wire fraud; false statements and claims; economic espionage; and environmental offenses (including the then two largest criminal environmental cases in Minnesota history). He also prosecuted many multi-defendant fraud conspiracies, conspiracies to defraud the United States, national and multi-national drug trafficking and firearm conspiracies, gang-related crimes, economic espionage and misappropriation of trade secrets cases and cases involving trafficking in counterfeit goods and copyright and trademark infringement.
Since returning to private practice, RJ has helped clients in responding to government enforcement actions and conducting internal investigations involving allegations of bribery and corrupt practices in the United States and numerous other countries (including FCPA and public corruption matters); theft of trade secrets and economic espionage; environmental violations; fraud (federal grants and funding, bank, computer, healthcare, mail, securities, tax and wire); false statements, false claims under the FCA; adulterated and misbranded drugs and medical devices; and off-label promotion.
News & Resources
Articles
News & Press Mentions
Events & Speaking Engagements
Industries & Practices
Intellectual Property Litigation
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practiceGovernment Enforcement & Corporate Investigations
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practiceBanking & Financial Institutions
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practiceEnergy & Natural Resources
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practiceFood, Beverage & Agribusiness
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practicePublic-Private Partnerships
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practiceAntitrust & Competition Law
Explore This Practice View client achievements related to this practice View resources related to this practice- Anti-Corruption Group
- Antitrust & Competition Law
- Appellate
- Banking & Financial Institutions
- Energy & Natural Resources
- Food, Beverage & Agribusiness
- Government Enforcement & Corporate Investigations
- Healthcare
- Indian & Alaska Native
- Intellectual Property
- Intellectual Property Litigation
- Legal Project Management
- Mining
- Pro Bono
- Public-Private Partnerships
- Technology
Professional & Civic
Professional Achievements
- Serves the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota under its Criminal Justice Act Plan and is appointed regularly to represent indigent criminal defendants in federal felony cases
- Served on Court’s Federal Practice (Local Rules) Committee and ECF Sealed Committee
Accolades


- Contributed more than 100 Challenge pro bono hours, 2020
- Named one of “America’s Leading Business Lawyers” by Chambers USA (Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations), 2020
- Recognized in IAM Patent 1000 - World's Leading Patent Practitioners, 2019-2020
- Recognized by Hennepin County Bar Association Excellence Award for Pro Bono Service, 2018
- Listed in Best Lawyers in America©, 2015-2021
- Listed in Minnesota Super Lawyers (eleventh consecutive year), 2010-2020
- Rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell's® highest peer recognition for ethical standards and legal ability
- MSBA North Star Lawyer, 2013-2019
