Martin J. Black

Martin J. Black is a partner in Dechert’s Philadelphia office and the founder of the firm’s intellectual property litigation practice. He represents technology, pharmaceutical, life sciences, and other companies in complex patent disputes and strategic intellectual property matters. Martin serves as lead trial and appellate counsel in cases involving patents, trademarks, copyrights, software, trade secrets, and licensing rights. His work includes both enforcing valuable intellectual property and defending clients against significant infringement and royalty claims.

Martin earned his J.D., with honors, from the University of Chicago Law School in 1988. He received his B.S.E., cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania in 1985, where he was a Benjamin Franklin Scholar. After law school, he clerked for Judge Edward N. Cahn of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. His education and judicial clerkship provided a strong foundation in technical analysis, legal writing, courtroom procedure, and complex dispute strategy.

Martin has tried dozens of cases across the country and has secured substantial awards and important defense victories. He represented Endo Pharmaceuticals in a five-week trial that resulted in injunctions against seven generic drug companies and protected more than $2 billion in sales. His technology litigation experience includes multimillion-dollar jury verdicts involving telecommunications, display, monitor, and avionics patents. Martin also argued SCA Hygiene Products v. First Quality Baby Products before the U.S. Supreme Court, obtaining a decision that changed the treatment of laches in patent damages claims.

Martin J. Black is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. Chambers USA has ranked him in Band 1 for intellectual property in Pennsylvania, and he has received repeated recognition from Managing Intellectual Property, IAM Patent 1000, The Legal 500 US, LMG Life Sciences, and Benchmark Litigation. He combines extensive trial experience, technical understanding, and appellate advocacy to help clients protect intellectual property, manage litigation risk, and pursue practical business objectives.

Law Office Affiliations

• Partner, Dechert LLP
• Member, Pennsylvania Bar Association

Licensed State

• Pennsylvania

Education

• The University of Chicago Law School
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• University of Pennsylvania
  Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE)

Awards & Badges