bill@wbritchie.com   William B. (Bill) Ritchie is the founder of the Law Offices of William B. Ritchie. His engineering and legal education, coupled with a professional background, both patent and business, which includes the specialized technologies of biotechnology, biomedical instrumentation, electronics and computer technologies. After receiving a full academic scholarship, Bill earned a Bachelor of Science Degree, in Engineering, from the University of Connecticut in 1968. The National Institute of Health awarded Bill a fellowship to pursue studies in bioengineering. Upon receiving his Master's Degree in 1970, he joined a leading medical products manufacturer as an instrumentation specialist related to cardiovascular surgery. William was President and Co-Founder of a medical research company specializing in the research and development of blood oxygenators. His device subsequently sold to a multi-national pharmaceutical firm. Additionally, Bill aided in the founding, and subsequent sale, of several high tech entrepreneurial ventures. In 1985, William studied intellectual property law at Franklin Pierce Law Center, Concord, New Hampshire, where he received his Juris Doctor in 1988. During law school, Bill worked for an multi-national aerospace firm as a patent intern. Bill has worked with the law firms of Mathews Woodbridge Goebel and Pugh, in Princeton, New Jersey as well as Nutter McClennon & Fish in Boston, Massachusetts and McLane, Graf, Raulerson & Middleton in Manchester, New Hampshire. Since opening the Law Office of William B. Ritchie in 1990, he has served, and continues to serve, both domestic and international clients. Bill has served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Franklin Pierce Law Center, teaching Patent Practice and Procedure, and was Chief Patent Counsel for the Maine Center for Technology Transfer, a non-profit organization directed to assisting Maine industry. He complements this extensive practice with training programs and legal publications on intellectual property matters.