GARY HECKER is one of the nation's leading intellectual property lawyers. He is recognized for his diverse experience in all aspects of intellectual property law, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, entertainment, internet and computer law, unfair competition and trade secrets. His practice includes: complex litigation and prosecution in patents, trademarks, copyrights; intellectual property program development;  high level counseling; and intellectual property transactions such as licensing, technology development,  and ip ownership structures and arrangements.

Mr. Hecker serves as both plaintiff and defense counsel in actions involving patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, unfair competition, plant variety protection, rights of publicity, domain names, and other claims.  He handles cases in federal district courts and state courts, at the International Trade Commission, and appeals before the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.  

Mr. Hecker's experience and expertise also includes innumerable patent applications, patent evaluations, "prior art" investigations, and patent reexamination proceedings.   He has also developed his own proprietary approach and materials for establishing and implementing corporate patent and trademark programs.  

Mr. Hecker has been involved protecting intellectual property for high technology since the early days of the personal computer.  He has represented many of the world’s leading companies in intellectual property matters.  He has designed and implemented intellectual property and patent programs for Fortune 1000 companies, Silicon Valley pioneers, and new venture startups. He has represented the companies of  industry luminaries, including Steve Jobs, Steven Spielberg, Sheldon Adelson, Ray Noorda, Dan Bricklin,  Ed Catmull, and Mark Burnett. He has helped large and small companies to develop and exploit valuable patent and trademark portfolios. 

Mr. Hecker holds a J.D. degree from the University of San Diego School of Law, and is a member of the San Diego Law Review.  He authored the Comment entitled "Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion on the High Seas: Toward an International Regulatory Regime,“ published in the San Diego Law Review, Vol. 18:2, 1981.  During law school, he served as a Judicial Intern to Justice Work of the California Court of Appeals, 4^th District.

Mr. Hecker also holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics from the University of Rhode Island, and is a member of the Mechanical Engineering Honor Society, Pi Tau Sigma. 

Mr. Hecker testified twice before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations for the Committee on Energy and Commerce, Chairman John Dingell (D. Michigan) presiding, on unfair foreign trade practices involving counterfeit computer hardware and software.  He also served as an informal technical advisor to the House Subcommittee in their Investigation on Unfair Foreign Trade Practices.

Prior to practicing law, Mr. Hecker was a Power Systems Engineer at  The Stone and Webster Engineering Corp., an architectural-engineering firm, where he designed thermodynamic, fluid and heat transfer systems for power plants and energy complexes, including turbines, compressors, boilers, head exchangers, and laminar and compressible flow steam systems.