Practice Areas
Education
- J.D., magna cum laude, 1993, New York University School of Law
- B.S., magna cum laude, 1990, University of Pennsylvania
Clerkships
- Law Clerk to The Honorable W. Eugene Davis, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Admissions to Practice
- Delaware, 1998
- New York, 1994
Rodger is a partner in the firm’s Intellectual Property Litigation Group and serves on the firm’s Executive Committee.
With nearly 20 years of experience helping companies solve complex problems, Rodger’s practice focuses on intellectual property and other complicated commercial litigation, with a particular emphasis on patent litigation. The Dow Chemical Company, Acuity Brands, Scientific Games, and Sony Corporation are among the Fortune 1000 companies that have relied on his legal skill and judgment. Prior to joining the firm, Rodger worked as an associate in the Litigation Department at Cravath, Swaine & Moore, where he was involved in a variety of challenging litigation matters. In 2013, he was selected to the IAM Patent 1000 – The World’s Leading Patent Practitioners, and he has been consistently recognized as a leading Delaware patent litigator by Best Lawyers in America and by Chambers USA: Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. Rodger currently serves as President of the Board of Directors for the Delaware Community Legal Aid Society, Inc., and is a past recipient of the Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Award and the Kind Policy Award from the Delaware Housing Coalition.
Professional and Community Activities
- President, Board of Directors, Delaware Community Legal Aid Society, Inc.
- Member, American Bar Association
- Member, Federal Bar Association
- Member, Delaware State Bar Association
Noteworthy
- 2013 IAM Patent 1000 – The World’s Leading Patent Practitioners
- 2012 Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business
- 2012 Best Lawyers in America
- 2004 Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Award
- 2004 Kind Policy Award from the Delaware Housing Coalition
Representative Matters
The Dow Chemical Company v. Nova Chemicals. Represent patentee in patent infringement litigation involving polyethylene blends.
Acuity Brands, Inc. v. Cooper Industries, Inc. Represented patentee in patent infringement litigation involving fluorescent light fixtures.
Cooper Technologies Co. v. Acuity Brands Lighting, Inc. Represented accused infringer in patent infringement litigation involving downlights and emergency exit signs.
Hubbell Inc. v. Acuity Brands Inc. Represented accused infringer in patent infringement and trade dress litigation involving antique pole top luminaires.
W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. v. Valeo-Sylvania L.L.C. Represented patentee in patent infringement litigation involving headlamp vents.
E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. v. Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. Represented accused infringer in patent infringement litigation involving fluorometers for measuring fluorescences in conjunction with polymerase chain reactions (PCR).
GTECH Corp. v. Scientific Games Int’l, Inc., et al. Represented accused infringers in patent infringement litigation involving lottery ticket vending machines.
Scientific Games Royalty Corp. v. GTECH Corp. Represented patentee in patent infringement litigation involving group participation lottery games.
American International Group, Inc. v. C.V. Starr & Co., et al. Represented trademark owner in action for temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction for trademark infringement.
QUALCOMM Inc. v. Texas Instruments, Inc. Represented plaintiff in a breach of contract action involving a patent portfolio agreement.
Pharmacia Corp. v. Par Pharmaceutical, Inc. Represented patentee in Hatch-Waxman litigation concerning generic pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of glaucoma and ocular hypertension.
Pharmacia Corp. v. Alcon Laboratories, Inc. Represented patentee in patent litigation concerning pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment of glaucoma and ocular hypertension.
Bayer AG v. Sony Electronics, Inc. et al. Represented accused infringers in patent litigation concerning magnetic metal particles used in manufacturing magnetic recording tapes.
News
- Chambers USA 2013 Names 17 Morris Nichols Attorneys and 4 Practice Groups as Best In Delaware
The 2013 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business today ranked seventeen Morris Nichols’ attorneys and four practice groups as best in Delaware. - 28 Morris Nichols Attorneys Named to The Best Lawyers in America 2013
28 Morris Nichols attorneys have been named to The Best Lawyers in America 2013 in twenty two practice areas. - Chambers USA 2012 Names Twenty Morris Nichols Attorneys and Four Practice Groups as Best In Delaware
The 2012 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business today ranked twenty Morris Nichols’ attorneys and four practice groups as best in Delaware. - 25 Morris Nichols Attorneys Named to The Best Lawyers in America 2012
25 Morris Nichols attorneys have been named to The Best Lawyers in America 2012 in twenty practice areas. - Chambers USA 2011 Names Twenty Morris Nichols Attorneys and Four Practice Groups as Best In Delaware
The 2011 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business today ranked twenty Morris Nichols’ attorneys and four practice groups as best in Delaware. - 26 Morris Nichols Attorneys Named to The Best Lawyers in America 2011; Firm is Top-Listed in Eight Categories in Delaware
26 Morris Nichols attorneys have been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America 2011. The firm was also “Top-Listed in Delaware” in eight practice areas. - Morris Nichols serves as Delaware counsel for Successful Patent Litigation Team in Dow Chemical’s $61.7 Million Patent Infringement Verdict
Rodger Smith served as Delaware counsel on the patent litigation team that successfully represented The Dow Chemical Co. in its recent patent infringement trial against rival Nova Chemicals. - Chambers USA 2010 Names Twenty Morris Nichols Attorneys as Leading Lawyers
The 2010 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business today ranked twenty Morris Nichols attorneys and four practice groups as among the best in Delaware.