Mr. Fechter has more than 30 years of experience in establishing programs for securing and protecting valuable company intellectual properties including trademarks, trade secrets and copyrights. He is particularly skilled in the protection and licensing of object code software for interactive technology, having represented numerous software, new media and old line corporations.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Fechter was Vice President and General Counsel of Granada North America, Inc., the North American subsidiary of Granada Group PLC, a London-based $3.5 billion company whose principal businesses are in the television production, rental, leisure, electronic and computer service areas. At Granada, one of his primary responsibilities was the protection and licensing of the company's software for interactive video technology.
Before joining Granada, Mr. Fechter was Chief Trademark Counsel of Nabisco Brands. He established the Nabisco Trademark department by merging the trademark practices of Standard Brands, Life Savers and Nabisco into one cohesive unit.
At Nabisco, Mr. Fechter established the internal prosecution and maintenance of the company's worldwide trademark portfolio, and was lead attorney in the negotiations and drafting of the OREO Cookies N' Cream and LIFE-SAVERS ice pop license agreements.
Mr. Fechter negotiated the acquisition of several television game shows for transmission on the Internet as well as the presence of an international telecom company on a major search engine. He represented a new media advertising agency and its client The Major League Baseball Players Association, in connection with its agreement to publish its web site on the Internet.
As a partner at McCarter & English, Mr. Fechter was engaged by a large consumer products company to oversee the establishment of the company's first in-house patent and trademark department. Mr. Fechter has advised both large and small businesses in domestic and international trademark and copyright matters as well as advertising issues such as comparative advertising, sweepstake and promotion law. Mr. Fechter has drafted numerous web site "Terms and Conditions" and "Privacy Policies".
Mr. Fechter is an adjunct professor at Seton Hall Law School where he teaches trademark and copyright law.
Memberships & Affiliations
American Bar Association, Section on Patent, Trademark and Copyright Law
Bar Association of The District of Columbia, Trademark Section
New York State Bar Association, Patent, Copyright Trademark Section
Representative Matters
Represented Uproar, Inc. to negotiate its acquisition of several game shows for transmission on the world wide web of the Internet
Mr. Fechter was hired in 2002 by major consumer products company to "build" in-house IP department
Negotiated Ericsson, Inc.'s internet contract with Lycos
Represented THINK New Ideas, and its client The Major League Baseball Players Association in connection with its agreement to publish its web site on Tripod's community site
Speaking
04/22/05, Spamming and Other Advertising Issues
Gary H. Fechter
Internet Law for the Practical Lawyer, American Law Institute, American Bar Association, Washington D.C.
2000, Guest Lecturer - Brooklyn Law School
Gary H. Fechter
1987, Guest Lecturer - NYU School of Law
Gary H. Fechter
Publications
11/15/11, Practical Tips on Avoiding Genericide
Gary H. Fechter and Elina Slavin
INTABulletin, Vol. 66 No. 20
04/01/03, The Pain of Providing Trademark Fame Managing Intellectual Property
Gary H. Fechter
01/01/98, Making Your (Trade) Mark in Europe
Gary H. Fechter
Handbook of Business Strategy
01/01/88, Licensing - A US Perspective
Gary H. Fechter
01/01/88, Intellectual Property in Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestitures
Gary H. Fechter
USTA
01/01/85, Licensing in the United States
Gary H. Fechter
USTA
01/01/83, In the Client's Best Interest
Gary H. Fechter
USTA
(Resident, New York, N.Y. Office)