Richard Wilder JD ’84
When asked what words of advice he has for those beginning their careers, Richard "Dick" Wilder’s advice is: “Do what you really want to do.”
It would appear that Dick Wilder really wanted to do a lot of things. Wilder has been an engineer for General Electric, a corporate attorney, a law professor in Malaysia, a legal officer for WIPO twice, a legal officer with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), a partner at a major international law firm, and most recently, Associate General Counsel for Intellectual Property policy for Microsoft. Wilder’s career has literally taken him around the world.
Dick Wilder grew up in Washington State and attended the University of Washington, where he studied mechanical engineering. After graduation, he took a job with General Electric, specializing in electrical power generation. Working for GE took him from the U.S. to Venezuela, Singapore, Saudi Arabia and other countries. After three years at GE, Wilder considered his career prospects as an engineer. Looking for broader opportunities, he decided to seek a career at the intersection of the law and science and technology.
Wilder enrolled at Franklin Pierce Law Center, graduating in 1984. He was intrigued by the IP focus of the school. He was also impressed by the faculty’s genuine interest in international and foreign law and practice. After graduation, Wilder took a junior patent attorney position with Perkin-Elmer—in the optics and semiconductor equipment groups. Wilder stayed at Perkin-Elmer for a year and half before again seizing the opportunity to work internationally. He took a teaching position in Malaysia, which was transitioning from an intellectual property system largely dependent on that of the United Kingdom to an independent system. Wilder joined the University of Malaya law faculty, teaching Torts and IP Law for one year.
After his time in Malaysia, Wilder moved back to the U.S., joining Finnegan Henderson as an associate. After two years of patent prosecution and litigation work, he took a leave of absence to pursue another great international opportunity, senior legal officer in the Industrial Property Division of WIPO. There Wilder participated in discussions for patent harmonization and legislative drafting and training for developing countries.
After two years in Geneva with WIPO, Wilder returned to the U.S. and Finnegan Henderson. His experience with WIPO shifted his interests towards international public law and international economic development, which he combined with his more “traditional” practice of patent prosecution and litigation. After three years at Finnegan Henderson, Wilder was on the move again, when he was asked to join the Office of Legislative and International Affairs at the USPTO. There he represented the U.S. Government in international negotiations on intellectual property issues.
In 1997, Wilder was asked to return to WIPO, where he served in the prestigious position of Director of the Global Intellectual Property Issues Division. There he oversaw various WIPO programs dealing with diverse issues, including biotechnology, genetic resources, public health, traditional knowledge, folklore and human rights. As Director-Advisor of the Office of Legal and Organization Affairs, Mr. Wilder also had responsibility for relations between WIPO and the non-governmental organizations and the private sector.
In 2000, Wilder made the difficult decision of moving back to the U.S. His wife and three children had followed him around the world for his work, and it was time for them all to come home for a while. He moved to Washington, D.C. and joined the international trade group of Powell Goldstein Fraser & Murphy. In 2002, he moved with the international trade group of Powell Goldstein to Sidley Austin. There his practice focused on international trade (including litigation before the World Trade Organization), global health and domestic and international policy work (including in the software sector). He is very proud of the work he has done in global health—particularly as an early key player in building the legal infrastructure for the Medicines for Malaria Venture, the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation among others.
Wilder’s focus has recently shifted as he has taken the position of Associate General Counsel for IP Policy for Microsoft—a newly-formed position within the company. He will play a key role for the company within the technology sector during a period of rapid evolution and challenge. He will also continue to be active in the global health arena, including as an expert advisor to the World Health Organization.
Throughout his legal career, Dick Wilder has been keenly aware that IP impacts nations, companies and people alike. His interest in human rights and pro bono services led him to co-found Public Interest Intellectual Advisors, an international non-profit organization that makes intellectual property counsel available for developing countries and public interest organizations who promote health, agriculture, biodiversity, science, culture, and the environment.
Dick Wilder loves spending time with his wife of 26 years and his three children. He enjoys his friends, great food and wine, music, theater, movies, hiking, and working in his garden. He is a private pilot and recently started skydiving again with his older son. He and his family vacation in Maine every year since graduating from Pierce Law and still love traveling the world.
Intellectual property has been very good to Dick Wilder. His interest in international and foreign work was an early motivator and a constant driving force in his career. His career has brought him and his family around the world and into the middle of some of the more interesting economic, technical, and political developments of the day. As he said, “seek out what really excites you—what you really want to do—and do it.” It may sound cliché, but it has worked out pretty well for Dick Wilder.
Originally published in the Summer/Fall 2007 Germeshausen Center newsletter.
