Howard J. Susser

Partner
Howard advises his clients within the unique intersection of science, technology, and law.
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Howard has more than 30 years of experience handling intellectual property litigation. He focuses his practice on disputes involving patents, trademarks, false advertising, unfair competition, copyrights, licensing, trade secrets, employment, and antitrust laws. Howard’s legal practice is informed by his foundational background as a chemical engineer. He regularly represents clients within the life sciences, pharmaceuticals, biotech, medical devices, chemicals, computer hardware and software, telecommunications, electronics, e-commerce industries, and beyond.  

Howard is also highly experienced in commercial arbitration and mediation proceedings of IP disputes.

He often advises clients in complex business transactions involving intellectual property assets, including drafting and negotiating research and development, sales and license agreements, and supporting mergers and acquisitions, funding rounds, and other due diligence.

In addition, he counsels clients on patent prosecution and has conducted US Patent & Trademark Office proceedings, including inter partes reviews, reexaminations, interferences, trademark oppositions, and cancellations.

Prior to joining Arentfox Schiff, Howard was the chair of the IP Litigation practice at a full-service law firm in Boston, MA.

Client Work

Howard’s representative matters include:

  • Served as lead counsel in patent infringement suits involving weapons.
  • Served as lead counsel in ERP software contract dispute in cannabis industry.
  • Served as lead counsel in dispute over biotechnology vendor contract.
  • Served as lead counsel in publishing contract and copyright dispute.
  • Served as lead counsel in employment, trade secret, and breach of contract dispute in managed services.
  • Served as lead counsel in a patent infringement suit regarding heavy machinery and joystick electronics.
  • Served as lead counsel on design patent suits regarding LED lighting fixtures.
  • Served as lead counsel in trade secret, copyright, and unfair competition suit regarding industrial computer software.
  • Served as lead counsel in patent infringement litigation involving database management systems and web-based spreadsheet services.
  • Served as lead counsel for the plaintiff in a patent infringement suit on cell phone communication protocols.
  • Served as lead counsel for the plaintiff in a patent infringement suit on cable television communication protocols.
  • Served as lead counsel for the plaintiff in a patent infringement suit on 3-D scanning metrology devices.
  • Served as counsel for a defendant weapons accessories manufacturer in a contract and trade secret suit.
  • Served as lead counsel for the defendant in a patent infringement suit on plastic injection molding container manufacturing.
  • Served as lead counsel for a large, international fuel additives defendant in a false advertising suit on petroleum dyes.
  • Served as counsel for the plaintiff in a patent infringement suit on crystalline forms of pharmaceuticals and processes.

Professional Activities

  • Tufts University and Babson College, Guest Lecturer

Publications, Presentations & Recognitions

Recent Publications

  • “Contract Rights Vs. Patent Invalidity: 2 Key Cases to Watch,” Co-Author, Law360, June 2021.

Recent Presentations

  • “IP and Cybersecurity: Critical Points on Data Misuse,” Webinar Host, Burns & Levinson’s Intellectual Property Group, March 2021
  • 4D Meets AI Conference, Guest Speaker, Life Science Nation, September 2020
  • “Founder’s Workshop: Startup Fundamentals and Essentials,” Speaker, Tufts School of Engineering, February 2020

Perspectives