Richard S. Taffet serves as lead counsel in a wide range of antitrust, intellectual property, and other domestic and international litigation and counseling matters. He represents clients in technology, financial, industrial products, and consumer goods industries.
For more than 40 years, Richard has tried cases in state and federal courts, as well as in arbitration proceedings; represented clients’ interests in appeals to numerous federal courts of appeal and the US Supreme Court; and advised clients in connection with a broad range of competition and intellectual property matters. Richard also regularly assists clients in matters before the US Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission, as well as foreign competition and other regulatory bodies, including in European and Asian jurisdictions.
Richard is recognized as a leading counsel and thought leader in connection with matters involving technology standards development. Richard has represented standard development organizations (SDOs) and technology consortia, as well as participants in such bodies, in connection with the development and use of SDO patent and intellectual property rights (IPR) policies, licensing and technology transfer strategies, and related commercial and antitrust issues. These representations have included the development of SDO and consortia IPR and patent policies, numerous litigations, advocacy to US and foreign legislative bodies and enforcement and regulatory agencies, and extensive legal and economic writing and speaking endeavors.
Richard is noted in Chambers USA as “a proficient and respected antitrust and IP lawyer” and “an elite litigator.” He is recognized for his “excellent strategic views and his ability to always think one step ahead.”
Before joining Morgan Lewis, Richard was a senior litigation partner of another international law firm, where he was a member of the executive board.
Antitrust
Intellectual Property
Commercial
Ranked, Antitrust, New York, Chambers USA (2008–2024)
Listed, Lawdragon, 500 Leading Litigators in America, New York: Antitrust, Competition and Intellectual Property Litigation (2022, 2024, 2025)
Member, Practice Group of the Year, Competition, Law360 (2017–2021)
Member, Practice Group of the Year, Intellectual Property, Law360 (2019)
Recommended, Antitrust: Civil litigation/class actions: defense, The Legal 500 US (2012–2013, 2018, 2019)
Recommended, Antitrust: Cartel, The Legal 500 US (2019)
Ranked, Intellectual Property Patents, New York, Chambers USA (2008–2009)
Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, Antitrust Law, New York (2013–2020, 2022–2025)
Recognized, Competition, Global Competition Review's Who's Who Legal (2019, 2020)
Recognized, Antitrust Trailblazer, The National Law Journal (2017)
Recognized, Practice Group of the Year for Antitrust Law, US News & World Report and Best Lawyers (2017)
Recognized, Who’s Who Legal (2016)
Recognized, Super Lawyers, New York Metro (2009–2014)
Recognized, Super Lawyers Corporate Edition, Corporate Litigation, Intellectual Property (2010)
Member, American Bar Association (Section on Antitrust)
Member, American Intellectual Property Law Association (Antitrust Committee, past chair and vice-chair; Standards and Open Source Committee)
Member, Intellectual Property Owners Association (Antitrust and Standard Setting Committees)
Member of Board of the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce and co-chair of Legal Committee
Trustee, Secretary, Director, Executive Comm., Development Comm., and Governance & Nominating Comm. for The National Jazz Museum in Harlem