Fred C. Hernandez
Member / Co-Chair, Intellectual Property Prosecution and Counseling Practice
+1.858.314.1518
Fred focuses on patent prosecution and strategic counseling for clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to early-stage and emerging growth companies, primarily in the medical device and medical technology fields. He also represents clients in the aerospace and consumer products sectors, and in snow and water sports. Fred has repeatedly been recognized on the Managing Intellectual Property IP Stars list and in IAM Patent 1000. Fred is Co-chair of the IP Division's Intellectual Property Prosecution and Strategic Counseling Practice.
Fred specializes in intellectual property protection in the medical device, aerospace, consumer products, and mechanical sectors, including building comprehensive portfolios, developing offensive and defensive competitive strategies, conducting infringement studies, and providing guidance and due diligence for financings and other strategic transactions.
His medical device technical experience involves a variety of ophthalmic, cardiovascular, and endobronchial, interventions as well as various drug delivery and surgical devices.
According to the editors of IAM Patent 1000, Fred is “a touchstone lawyer for medical device and medical technology entities. The regularity with which industry leaders snap up the emerging companies whose portfolios he has developed is a telling measure of his quality.”
Before joining Mintz, Fred was a principal at an international IP boutique firm. He also worked for the Hughes Aircraft Company, where he gained significant technical experience as a software engineer.
Fred focuses on patent prosecution and strategic counseling for clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to early-stage and emerging growth companies, primarily in the medical device and medical technology fields. He also represents clients in the aerospace and consumer products sectors, and in snow and water sports. Fred has repeatedly been recognized on the Managing Intellectual Property IP Stars list and in IAM Patent 1000. Fred is Co-chair of the IP Division's Intellectual Property Prosecution and Strategic Counseling Practice.
Experience
- Trusted by a high-profile San Diego–based vision-focused medical device incubator with helping to assess and develop the patent strategies of its portfolio companies, and key legal counsel in recent successes of its portfolio companies. In 2016 and 2017, two of the incubator's companies were acquired by global corporations.
viewpoints
Entrepreneurs of Color Receive Strategic Guidance
February 22, 2022 | Article
Key Lessons from Patent Litigation for Drafting and Prosecuting Utility Patent Applications
April 15, 2016 | Blog | By Fred Hernandez, Gurneet Singh
News & Press
Mintz Attorneys Recognized in Managing IP’s 2025 IP Stars
June 13, 2025|
Mintz IP Practice Recognized in 2025 IAM Patent 1000
June 2, 2025|
Mintz IP Practice Recognized in 2024 IAM Patent 1000
June 18, 2024|
Mintz Shortlisted for 3 Managing Intellectual Property Americas Awards 2022
February 17, 2022|
Fred focuses on patent prosecution and strategic counseling for clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to early-stage and emerging growth companies, primarily in the medical device and medical technology fields. He also represents clients in the aerospace and consumer products sectors, and in snow and water sports. Fred has repeatedly been recognized on the Managing Intellectual Property IP Stars list and in IAM Patent 1000. Fred is Co-chair of the IP Division's Intellectual Property Prosecution and Strategic Counseling Practice.
Recognition & Awards
Best Lawyers in America: Patent Law (2024 – 2027); Biotechnology and Life Sciences (2024 - 2027)
Managing Intellectual Property: Patent Star – California (2014 – 2026)
IAM Patent 1000: World’s Leading Patent Practitioners (2020 – 2026)
San Diego Daily Transcript: Top 50 Influential Leaders (2019)
LMG Life Sciences top practitioner in Patent Prosecution and Patent Strategy & Management (2017 – 2021)
San Diego Business Journal: Leader of Influence in Life Sciences (2024)
Fred focuses on patent prosecution and strategic counseling for clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to early-stage and emerging growth companies, primarily in the medical device and medical technology fields. He also represents clients in the aerospace and consumer products sectors, and in snow and water sports. Fred has repeatedly been recognized on the Managing Intellectual Property IP Stars list and in IAM Patent 1000. Fred is Co-chair of the IP Division's Intellectual Property Prosecution and Strategic Counseling Practice.
Involvement
- Member, Board of Directors of Access Youth Academy
- Member, Board of Directors of the Southern Caregivers Resource Center
- Member, San Diego County Bar Association
- Member, San Diego La Raza Lawyers
- Member, South Asian Bar Association of San Diego
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