John P. Fonder

A partner at Christensen, Fonder, Dardi & Herbert PLLC, John P. Fonder focuses his practice on a variety of complex intellectual property matters. Based in the firm’s office in Minneapolis, Minnesota, he represents clients throughout the United States and around the world. Admitted to practice in Minnesota since 2006, Mr. Fonder is also admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Additionally, he has been registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

A significant portion of Mr. Fonder’s practice involves patent prosecution, licensing and litigation. He has handled these types of matters for computer software and architecture, telecommunications, electronics, medical devices, and mechanical arts, among other categories. Mr. Fonder also has extensive experience with trademark registration, licensing and infringement. He provides advice and counsel to his clients on intellectual property protection and monetization, and his background additionally includes regulatory compliance, product safety, international trade and product importing, including duties and tariffs. Mr. Fonder is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, and he has lived and worked in China and Taiwan.

Mr. Fonder attended the University of Minnesota as an undergraduate, where he majored in electrical engineering and received a Bachelor of Science in 1987. He then spent several years with Emerson Electric and other companies before going to the University of Michigan and obtaining his Master of Business Administration. Deciding to pursue a legal education, Mr. Fonder then enrolled at the University of Minnesota Law School, and he was the managing editor of the Minnesota Law Review before being awarded his Juris Doctor cum laude in 2006. His professional affiliations include the Minnesota Intellectual Property Law Association and the International Trademark Association.