Herbert F. Schwartz died July 15, 2014 at his home in Riverside, CT, following a prolonged fight against bladder cancer.

Herb was a partner in Ropes & Gray's Intellectual Property Group until his retirement in 2007. He joined Ropes & Gray in 2005 when it merged with Fish & Neave, where he was a partner from 1971 to 2004 and Managing Partner from 1985 to 1991. He graduated from MIT with a BSEE in 1957, received an MA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and earned an LLB cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1964, where he was Editor of the Law Review.

Herb spent his career litigating intellectual property law matters. He successfully represented various clients in landmark intellectual property disputes, including Polaroid Corporation in Polaroid v. Kodak, Purdue Pharma in Purdue v. Endo, AstraZeneca and Aventis in Housey v. AstraZeneca, et al., Digital Equipment in Digital v. Intel, and Motorola in NBA v. Motorola. He also served as a special master and mediator in numerous intellectual property litigations.

Herb was the primary author of Patent Law and Practice, a frequently cited treatise originally prepared as a monograph for federal judges under the auspices of the Federal Judicial Center. He coauthored Principals of Patent Law with F. Scott Kieff, the Honorable Pauline Newman and Henry E. Smith. Herb was an adjunct professor of law at both the University of Pennsylvania and New York University and was a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers and a 25 year member of the American Law Institute.

In addition to his famed legal career, Herb was known for his ocean racing prowess, and was happiest when out on the water skippering one of a series of yachts, each named Wenden. He won many major regattas, including the Swan American trophy, the New York Yacht Club Sesquicentennial and the Marblehead to Halifax race. He competed several times in the Newport to Bermuda race, winning his class in 2000. He has been a member of the New York Yacht Club, Riverside Yacht Club, the Cruising Club of America, and the Greenwich Cove Racing Association. His professional and recreational interests were combined in his trusteeship at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in MA.

Herb is survived by his wife, Nan Chequer, by the three children of his first marriage to Gail Lubets, Wendy H. Schwartz, Karen A. Schwartz and Peter A. Schwartz, and his three stepchildren, Elizabeth Hendee, Anne H. Chequer and Laura D. Chequer. He is also survived by his eight grandchildren, Grace and Brooke Hendee, Sarah and Emma Radisch, Benjamin and Duncan Craine and Ethan and James Schwartz.

A private burial service will be conducted at Riversville Cemetery, July 17, 2014. Friends and family are invited to a celebration of Herb's life to be held on August 24 at 12pm at Riverside Yacht Club. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to MIT to support a crew shell in Herb Schwartz's '57 honor to support the Varsity men's heavyweight crew program. Checks should be payable to MIT and mailed to Bonny Kellerman, Director of Memorial Gifts, 600 Memorial Drive, W98-500, Cambridge, MA 02139. Please indicate that your gift is in memory of Herb Schwartz '57 in the memo. To leave an online condolence please visit www.gallagherfuneralhome.com - See more at: http://www.gallagherfuneralhome.com/obituary/Herbert-F.-Schwartz/Riverside-CT/1401797#sthash.Nicae9uQ.dpuf