Dr. Richard “Dick” Thurston

Dr. Richard (“Dick”) Thurston is one of the top non-engineer semiconductor specialists in the United States and has assisted many companies and governments in the establishment and management of technology parks around the world.

In 2014 Dr. Thurston retired from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (“TSMC”) where he had served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., (2001–2014); and a consultant to Dr. Morris Chang (2014-2017). During his tenure at TSMC, he resided in Hsinchu, Taiwan. Dr. Thurston assisted TSMC in developing its best-in-class intellectual property and trade secret promotion and protection program (“PIP”). He engineered the redesign of TSMC’s disruptive patent innovation program with increased focus on a wide range of non-logic-based technologies. Furthermore, on behalf of TSMC, he successfully initiated major litigation around the world against defendants who had misappropriated TSMC trade secrets. And, he was instrumental in achieving major legislative reform in Taiwan for the protection of trade secrets. Dick also managed TSMC’s compliance program, M&A and investment activities including joint ventures, etc.

Upon retiring from TSMC, Dr. Thurston rejoined the law firm of Duane Morris, based in New York City, where he participated in the firm’s IP Practice Group. He also opened the Duane Morris office in Taipei Taiwan, where his team advised clients on IP and technology matters. Dr. Thurston retired from Duane Morris in March 2023, whereupon he assumed a number of advisory roles, focused especially on semiconductors, intellectual property strategy, green technologies, and IP licensing. Included in some of his current and most recent activities are the following:

• Member, Board of Executive Advisors, International IP Commercialization Council (IIPCC), a NGO based in Hong Kong, 2015-present. We are the principle global NGO advising governments, agencies and businesses on IP matters, especially trade secrets. On behalf of the IIPCC, I have been a member of WIPO panels on trade secret protection.
• Active member of the Technology and Semiconductor Committees of LES and LES International. Co-founded LES-Taipei in 2002 and was a member of the Board and Officer until retirement from TSMC.
• Member of the Board of Trustees, Center for American and International Law, 2013 – 2023 and Advisory Committee 2024. Focused on International and IP matters
• Member of the U.S. Chips and Science Act NSTC-IP Task Force of the ASIC Coalition to formulate IP policy, process and procedure for COEs/Tech Hubs under the Act., 2022-23.
• Member, Advisory Board of StrategyRisks, 2023 to present. Founded by Isaac Stone Fish my responsibility has been to advise on policies, strategies, processes, and procedures to enable the clients of StrategyRisks to evaluate IP-related risks of those clients.
• Independent member of the Board of Directors of Nantero, Inc., 2022-23. where he created and managed IP matters for Nantero.
• CEO of Hudson Valley Fast Fabs™, a mature-node semiconductor tech hub in iPark84, East Fishkill, NY. Part of our initiative is to implement a new IP model for the promotion, preservation and protection of the U.S. semiconductor supply chain. Member of the NE Corridor Tech Hub and adviser to the Canadian government on semiconductor, technology, and IP strategies.

Member of Singapore-based EQUVO PTE. LTD. We are business/financial advisers and my focus is advising clients on IP and technology matters.
Founder of RLT Global Consulting LLC, which advises clients (private, public and quasi-government) on technology and IP matters. See:

www.rltglobal.consulting

Member of Texas, NJ, and NY state and local Bar Associations, participating on international trade/investment, semiconductor, IP, and technology-focused committees.

Before joining TSMC, Dr. Thurston was a partner with Haynes and Boone, a Dallas, Texas-based law firm. There, he was Chairperson of the firm’s International Practice Section and he established their office in Richardson, TX (since relocated to Plano, Tx). Previously, he had been the Regional Counsel, Asia Pacific, and Vice President, Corporate Staff, Assistant General Counsel at Texas Instruments (1984-1996), resident in Dallas and Tokyo (1987-1990), where Dr. Thurston devoted significant efforts in: promoting and protecting TI’s intellectual property; corporate compliance; mergers and acquisitions; and international trade and investment, among other disciplines.

Education

Dr. Thurston graduated Cum Laude with a B.A. in History from Alma College (Alma, MI). He earned both M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in East Asian Studies from the University of Virginia, where he was a Jefferson Scholar. Dick earned a J.D. degree from Rutgers School of Law – Camden, NJ. He also studied law at Soochow University (Taiwan) while researching his Ph.D. dissertation: Civil Law Reform in China, 1906-1930. Dr. Thurston has taught both law and business classes at: SMU School of Law (Dallas, TX); University of Texas, Dallas; Soochow University (Taiwan); National Chiao Tung University (Taiwan); and National Cheng-Chih University (Taiwan). Dick is admitted to the practice of law and a member of the respective Bar Associations of Texas, New Jersey and New York/New York City, and of Dutchess County, New York.

Dr. Thurston has written and lectured widely on international, transactional, and intellectual property matters, most especially trade secret protection, trade and investment, and establishment of technology parks. He has received many awards and recognitions throughout his career. He was selected for inclusion in IAM Strategy 300: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024 (not yet announced publicly). In 2013, Dr. Thurston was selected from 800 nominees as the ILO Asia-Pacific General Counsel of the Year. He is fluent in Mandarin.

Dr. Thurston retired on December 31, 2023 as the elected Town Supervisor of the Town of Wappinger, Dutchess County, NY. Thurston was first elected in November 2017.