Since 2004, Mindi M. Richter has established a reputation as an experienced trial lawyer, primarily focusing her efforts toward litigating intellectual property cases of all varieties, including claims such as trademark, patent and copyright infringement.
Starting at Tampa-based firm Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP in 2007, Richter now serves as a partner as well as a board-certified Intellectual Property Law Specialist in the state of Florida.
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® since 2018, Richter is currently being honored as “Lawyer of the Year” for Copyright Law in Tampa for 2025.
“Intellectual property is a rewarding and interesting area of the law to practice because it is constantly developing and changing as technologies evolve. The law often does not keep pace with the developing technologies which often leaves gray areas on where the law stands on certain issues,” said Richter.
Accustomed to tackling litigation, Richter has a vast amount of experience in transactional intellectual property matters, regularly counseling clients in developing patent, copyright and trademark portfolios and handles trademark and copyright prosecution matters.
“This requires creativity in navigating the gray areas successfully to achieve positive results for clients. It is also very rewarding to help clients grow their businesses and achieve success by identifying and protecting their intellectual property,” she said.
Outside the ever-evolving intellectual property litigation landscape, Richter counsels and guides clients in negotiating, developing and drafting licenses, assignments and other intellectual property contracts.
Additionally, she frequently weighs in on specific intellectual property aspects of mergers, acquisitions and financing.
“A frequently filed copyright claim right now is alleged infringement for use of images online without a license. These claims, sometimes called copyright troll claims, are crowding the courts and typically involve intimidation by the copyright holder demanding large payments to avoid a lawsuit when there is often little to no damage claim and the infringement if it exists, is innocent,” said Richter.
According to Richter, she, and respective lawyers in the practice area, frequently defend against “troll” claims by pushing back through a number of legal channels.
“While a copyright holder is, of course, entitled to protect and defend its copyright and at times is entitled to compensation for unlicensed uses, copyrights should not be used as improper weapons to receive unjustified compensation,” said Richter.
Richter believes that stellar business acumen is key to being an effective lawyer in an intellectual property sense.
“I think a great intellectual property attorney takes the time and effort to really understand a client’s business and help ensure their intellectual property is developed and protected in the most efficient and practical manner in order to achieve the client’s goals,” concluded Richter.
