Christopher T. Griffith
A dedicated advocate at the intersection of science and law, Chris is passionate about helping his clients reach their business goals. His clients regard him as a creative and thoughtful strategist, who blends his knowledge of current legal precedent and trends with decades of experience to develop incisive IP strategies that deliver the best possible outcomes.
Overview & Practice
A founding partner of Green Griffith, Chris has practiced law over 35 years, specializing in IP litigation and counseling services across the pharmaceutical, chemical, medical device, and biotech industries. He has an impressive history of representing clients as lead counsel in U.S. district courts across the country, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and as local counsel on patent cases in the Northern District of Illinois (Member, Trial Bar).
Chris's expertise in contentious matters is not limited to the courtroom. He has represented clients in Inter Partes Reviews (IPR) under the AIA, and in many arbitration and mediation proceedings.
While he advises clients across a broad spectrum of technologies, Chris possesses unique expertise on Orange Book and related FDA issues affecting pharmaceuticals — representing both brand and generic companies — particularly those arising under the Hatch-Waxman Act, and issues affecting biologics and biosimilars under the BPCIA.
He leverages his extensive IP litigation experience to provide exceptional service in developing and executing IP portfolio strategies — including patent application preparation and prosecution, portfolio development, assessment and management, opinions (freedom-to-operate and validity) and general guidance on new product development.
He also is sought after by companies, venture capital, and other investment groups seeking assistance on due diligence projects associated with valuation and risk assessment. His IP expertise also extends to trademark, trade dress, and copyright matters — including work for clients in film, literature, and music.
As a person who values education, Chris has served as an Adjunct Professor at The University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, where he developed and taught a master's level patent law course for many years. He also dedicates his time to pro bono matters, volunteering for the Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and the Northern District of Illinois Trial Bar Pro Bono Program.
Before co-founding Green Griffith in 2015, Chris was corporate secretary at Leydig, Voit & Mayer Ltd., serving as a member of the firm's board of directors.
Representative Clients
Litigation/Contested Matters (Partial List)
Ingenus v. Nexus — local and co-counsel for Ingenus in the N.D. Illinois relating to cyclophosphamide injectable. Currently pending.
Amgen v. USV — counsel for USV concerning Parsabiv® (etelcalcetide injection). Settled favorably for USV.
Medicure v. Nexus — local counsel for Medicure in the N.D. Illinois relating to Aggrastat® (tirofiban). Settled favorably for Medicure.
Lipocine v. Clarus — defended Clarus against infringement, obtaining Summary Judgment on indefiniteness. Settled favorably for Clarus.
Clarus v. Lipocine — counsel for Clarus in interference proceeding on oral testosterone formulations. Judgment in Clarus's favor.
Horizon v. Actavis — counsel for Horizon re: Pennsaid® 2%. Upheld Orange Book patent validity; affirmed by Federal Circuit. Teva barred from generic launch until October 2027.
Dexcel v. Takeda — counsel for Dexcel re: 505(b)(2) lansoprazole. Obtained non-infringement judgment. Product now marketed in US.
Shire v. Osmotica — lead counsel for Osmotica re: Lialda® mesalamine. Settled and dismissed.
Warner Chilcott v. Lupin — counsel for Lupin re: Generess Fe®. Court invalidated asserted claims; judgment for Lupin.
Forest Laboratories v. Sigmapharm — counsel for Sigmapharm re: Saphira® (asenapine).
Pfizer v. Lupin — counsel for Lupin re: Toviaz® (fesoterodine fumarate).
AstraZeneca v. Lupin — counsel for Lupin re: Vimovo® (naproxen/esomeprazole).
Pfizer v. Osmotica — lead counsel for Osmotica re: Detrol® LA. Dismissed favorably for Osmotica.
Ortho-McNeil v. Lupin — counsel for Lupin re: Ortho-Tricyclen Lo®. Settled with license permitting Lupin marketing from December 2015.
Gilead v. Sigmapharm — counsel for Sigmapharm re: Hepsera® (adefovir). Gilead voluntarily dismissed.
Shire v. Natco — counsel re: Fosrenol® (lanthanum carbonate). Dismissed with prejudice.
Abbott v. Lupin — counsel re: Trilipix® (choline fenofibrate). Settled very favorably for Lupin.
Bayer v. Lupin — counsel re: Yasmin® (drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol). Prevailed on non-infringement.
Medicis v. Lupin — counsel re: Solodyn® minocycline. Settled very favorably for Lupin.
Ortho-McNeil v. Lupin — counsel re: Levaquin® levofloxacin.
Wyeth v. Lupin — counsel re: Effexor® XR Capsules. Settled.
Abbott v. Novopharm — represented Novopharm successfully challenging terazosin (Hytrin®) patent expiration.
Sloan-Kettering v. Fujisawa — represented Fujisawa re: Nebupent® pentamidine. Settled favorably.
Lupin Atlantis v. Paddock — counsel for Lupin re: fenofibrate.
Other Technology Litigations
- Pall Corp. v. PTI Technologies (filtration)
- Weatherchem Corp. v. J.L. Clark (sealing technology)
- Lemelson Foundation v. Cargill et al. (machine vision)
- Henderson Mfg. v. Highway Equipment (custom truck equipment)
- Elkay Manufacturing v. Ebco Manufacturing (water coolers)
- KV Pharmaceuticals v. Integrity Pharmaceuticals (nutritional supplements)
- Sessions (Ferris) Pharmaceuticals v. Biopol (Korean Patent Office — wound care)
- Deublin Company (EP Oppositions)
Honors & Recognition
- Chambers & Partners — Individually and as a USA IP Law Firm
- LMG Life Sciences — Selected as a "Life Sciences Star"
- Managing IP — Named as an "IP Star"
- IAM Patent 1000 — Listed in Litigation
- Illinois Super Lawyers — Recognized in Intellectual Property Litigation
- Leading Lawyers Network — Selected by peers as a "Leading Lawyer" in Intellectual Property Law
- Chicago Lawyer — Listed among the "Top Lawyers in Illinois" in Intellectual Property Law
Speaking Engagements (Selected)
- "Strategies for Defending Against Patent Infringement Claims," 14th Annual Pharma IPR Conference, Mumbai, India, March 2025
- "Unlocking IP Potential; Strategies for Protecting Innovations in the US," 13th Annual Pharma IPR Conference, Mumbai, India, March 2024
- "Current Developments in US IP Law," 12th Annual Pharma IPR Conference, Mumbai, India, March 2023
- "Current US IP Issues and Decisions Relevant to Pharma & Biopharma Companies," WIPF, April–May 2021
- "Inter Partes Review, Litigation or Both," 9th Annual Pharma IPR Conference, Mumbai, India, March 2020
- "Biosimilars in US, EU and China," 4th China Pharma IP Summit 2019, Shanghai, China, October 2019
- "Section 101: Analysis of Recent Developments and Proposed Legislation," IIPSS, Hyderabad, India, August 2019
- "Patent Fundamentals Bootcamp 2019," Practising Law Institute, Chicago, IL, May 2019
- "Recent US Legal Developments Affecting Pharma-Related Contentious Matters," 8th Annual Pharma IPR Conference, Mumbai, India, March 2019
- "Navigating the IP Waters," Asia Pharma R&D Leaders, Beijing, China, January 2019
- "US Patent Litigation Trends: Past, Present and Future," IIPLA 5th Dubai IP Congress, January 2019
- "IP in the Courts," WIPF 2018, New Delhi, India, November 2018
- "Navigating the IP/FDA Exclusivity Waters," 3rd Annual China Pharma IP Summit, October 2018
- "Paragraph IV Litigation Trends, Analysis and Future Predictions," 3rd IIPSS, Hyderabad, India, June 2018
- "Latest Developments: Federal Courts and PTAB," 7th Annual Pharma IPR Conference, Mumbai, India, March 2018
- "505(b)(2) NDAs v. ANDAs," 2nd China Pharma IP Summit 2017, Shanghai, China, December 2017
- "Exploring New Developments in Divided and Inducement Infringement," Paragraph IV Disputes Symposium, Chicago, IL, October 2017
- Various SIPO, ACPAA training seminars and client presentations (2006–2016)
Education
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University of HoustonJuris Doctor (J.D.)
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Johns Hopkins UniversityMaster of Science (M.S.), Biotechnology Enterprise and Entrepreneurship
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Michigan State UniversityBachelor of Science (B.S.), Chemical Engineering
Bar & Court Admissions
- Illinois
- Texas
- District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Member, Trial Bar)
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- Registered Patent Attorney, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (Reg. No. 33,392)
Affiliations
- International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys (FICPI)
- American Bar Association
- Adjunct Professor (former), The University of Illinois Chicago School of Law
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