June 1, 2026
Secretariat and six of the firm’s intellectual property experts are featured in the 15th edition of the IAM Patent 1000, the definitive “go-to” guide that identifies the world’s top patent expert witnesses and practitioners.
Recognition in the IAM Patent 1000 is based on extensive global research, including hundreds of interviews with patent attorneys, in-house counsel, and industry professionals. Only the firms and individuals identified by market sources for their exceptional technical expertise and profound insights into patent matters are selected for inclusion.
Several Secretariat experts have been continuously recognized by IAM. In the 2026 guide, IAM recommends Managing Directors Bruce Blacker (recognized for the fourth consecutive year), Carrie Distler (twelfth), Richard Manning (fourth), Steve Schwartz (seventh), Ryan Sullivan (thirteenth), and Jennifer Vanderhart (third).
These elite professionals are highly regarded by global clients for their quality, rigor, and deep knowledge of the economics of intellectual property and technology across sectors—including AI, life sciences, electronics, software, consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, retail distribution, and hospitality, among others.
The full announcement and IAM Patent 1000 listing can be accessed here.
Making Patent Citations Count: Statistical Tools for Valuing Innovation in Litigation and Licensing
In Loyola Law Review, Richard Eichmann and Adam Rhoten examine how statistical normalization improves patent citation analysis in litigation and licensing. The article shows how normalized citation metrics provide a more rigorous framework for assessing technological significance and valuation.
Differing Site Conditions Can Derail Construction Schedules and Budgets
Differing Site Conditions arise when actual site conditions differ from those expected or indicated. Experts assess bid info, site conditions, schedule impacts, and costs to determine causation, delay, and related damages.
A New Perspective on Spatial Heterogeneity in African Development
Nicolas Suarez, an economist at Secretariat, together with Pascaline Dupas and Zhongyi Tang, present “A New Perspective on Spatial Heterogeneity in African Development”, which addresses the long standing debate on the effect of national institutions on development outcomes.