Gary A. Hecker
Gary A. Hecker is the managing partner of MWM’s Los Angeles office and part of the firm’s technology/ intellectual property law group. Gary is one of the nation’s leading intellectual property attorneys and is recognized for his diverse experience in all aspects of intellectual property law, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, rights of publicity, entertainment, internet and computer law, unfair competition, and trade secrets.
Gary’s practice includes complex intellectual property litigation and prosecution, C-suite level IP counseling, and intellectual property transactions and licensing. Gary serves as both plaintiff and defense litigation counsel in legal actions in U.S. Federal District Courts, state court, the U.S. International Trade Commission, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (including Inter Partes Review (IPR), Post Grant Review (PGR), and Patent Reexamination Proceedings) and appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
Gary’s experience and expertise also include innumerable patent applications, patent evaluations, “prior art” investigations, patent due diligence, and patent reexamination proceedings. He has also developed his own proprietary approach and materials for establishing and implementing corporate patent and trademark programs for both established and emerging companies.
Gary has been involved protecting intellectual property for his clients since the early days of the PC. 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, Mark Burnett, and Maria Shriver. He has helped businesses large and small to develop and exploit their valuable intellectual property.
Gary received his J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law and is a member of the San Diego Law Review. He is the author of 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. He also served as a Judicial Intern to Justice Work of the California Court of Appeals, 4th District. Gary also holds a B.S. 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.
Gary testified twice on behalf of Apple Computer, Inc. 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, Gary was a power systems engineer at the architectural engineering consulting firm Stone and Webster Engineering Corp. While at Stone and Webster, Gary designed thermodynamic, fluid, and heat transfer systems for large-scale power plants and energy complexes, including turbines, compressors, boilers, head exchangers, and laminar and compressible flow steam systems.
Prior to joining MWM, Gary established The Hecker Law Group in 1988 and served as the founding partner. Prior to starting his own firm, Gary was a partner at the intellectual property law firm Blakely, Sokoloff, Taylor and Zafman.
- Best Lawyers in America, Woodward White, Inc. 2021
- Leaders in Law, Intellectual Property Los Angeles Business Journal, 2019
- AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated in Martindale-Hubbell
Los Angeles, California 90067
