Ricardo Sichel

Schumann Fellow 2019-2020

Professor of Civil and Commercial Law at the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro

 

Dr. Ricardo Sichel is a Professor of Civil and Commercial Law at the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro. He completed his law degree there in 1983. In 1995, he earned a Magister degree at the University of Münster with a thesis on the European Patent Convention. He later obtained his doctorate (Dr. iur.) in 2002 at the University of Münster under the supervision of Thomas Hoeren, with a dissertation on the Community Patent Convention and TRIPS. In 2009, he completed an additional Magister-level specialization at the Brazilian Ministry of Defense and the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, focusing on the strategic importance of intellectual property law.

From 1984 to 2019, Sichel worked in the legal department of the Brazilian Patent Office (INPI), serving as its head from 1998 to 2004. In this role, he represented Brazil internationally in organizations such as the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

Academically, he taught at private universities between 1995 and 2006, specializing in business and patent law. From 2004 to 2006, he held the Chair of Commercial Law at the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro. Since 2006, he has been a full professor (Ordinarius) of Civil and Commercial Law at the same institution. In addition, since 2011 he has taught in a postgraduate program in patent law at Candido Mendes University, where he also leads a research project on the role of patent law in economic development.

His research focuses on the development of European patent law after 1945, particularly in light of international agreements following the establishment of the WTO. He also examines the limits of patent monopolies in ensuring public health and explores the interaction between patent law and competition law.

Ricardo Sichel can be contacted at the following email address: ricardo.sichel@hnes.com.br.