Fletcher Yoder

Tait graduated from Washington State University in December 1994 with a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering having an emphasis in Thermal Fluids. During his final year in the program, Tait began a research project associated with two-phase turbulent flows and combustion, which was funded by the National Science Foundation. Tait continued this research project while pursuing his master’s degree at Washington State University, focusing his studies on droplet behavior in the turbulent structures (e.g., vortex rings) downstream of an acoustically forced turbulent jet. During his master’s program, Tait and his advisor, Dr. Cecilia Richards, published several papers on droplet-vortex interactions. In May 1996, Tait completed his master’s thesis on this subject and was awarded his master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering.

After engineering school in August 1996, Tait enrolled in the college of business and economics at Washington State University to pursue a master of business administration (“MBA”) degree. In August 1997, he enrolled in the University of Houston Law Center to pursue a law degree (“JD”) with an emphasis in intellectual property. During the summer of 1998, Tait completed his MBA coursework at the University of Houston college of business and briefly returned to Washington State University to pass his oral finals. He was awarded his MBA degree from Washington State University in December 1998. During law school, Tait served as an Editor for the Houston Journal of International Law, which published his comment on Gray Market Goods. In May 2000, he was awarded his law degree at the University of Houston Law Center. In November 2000, Tait was admitted to the State Bar of Texas. Tait is also registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Tait joined Fletcher Yoder during his last semester in law school, and began full time in September 2000. His practice focuses primarily on patent prosecution, opinions, and client counseling. Specifically, Tait’s patent prosecution practice includes drafting utility and design patent applications, preparing responses to office actions, and drafting appeal briefs. His patent prosecution practice also includes patentability opinions, competitor analyses and claiming strategies for licensing purposes, and design around analyses and claiming strategies.

Tait’s opinion practice includes non-infringement opinions, invalidity opinions, and hybrid opinions of non-infringement and invalidity. His technical expertise includes computer hardware and software; combustion engines and turbines; heating and cooling systems and devices; medical systems and devices such as imaging, instrumentation, and implants; industrial and commercial tools and fasteners; spray systems; high intensity discharge lamps and lighting systems; electromechanical systems and controls for automotive, marine, locomotive, and aircraft applications; and various other electromechanical technologies.

Tait was voted to become a shareholder, effective January 2006.