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MARK ALAN FISCHER

1950 - 2015

BORN

1950

DIED

2015

FUNERAL HOME

J.S. Waterman Langone Chapel

580 Commercial Street

Boston, Massachusetts

MARK FISCHER Obituary

Name: Memorial service for MARK ALAN FISCHER
Start: 2015-02-22T16:00:00.000Z
Location: Boston Harborside Home

FISCHER, Mark Alan Age 64, of Boston, passed away on February 18, 2015. He was a leading intellectual property lawyer who worked with prominent national and international law firms over the course of a long and distinguished career. Most recently he was a partner at Duane Morris LLP. His practice was centered at the intersection of corporate law, intellectual property law, and social media. He was an expert in creative and entrepreneurial industries including digital media, music, interactive entertainment, fashion, and industrial design. Mr. Fischer taught copyright law at Suffolk University Law School, Berklee College of Music, Boston College Law School, Northeastern University Law School, and New England School of Law. Among his many accomplishments, he contributed to the concept and adoption of open source licensing, and he was a prolific writer and lecturer with a widely followed blog on new media and intellectual property issues. Mr. Fischer was a Trustee of the Copyright Society of the U.S.A. and an Overseer of the Institute of Contemporary Art (Boston). He was a longtime Red Sox season ticket holder who rated Keith Foulke's Oct. 27, 2004 toss to Doug Mientkiewicz as one of his most-treasured moments. He was a profound lover and supporter of the arts, and his musical passions ranged from Puccini to Bill Evans to Brian Wilson to Bj?rk. Mr. Fischer is survived by his loving wife Marney Smyth Fischer, his mother Zelda Fischer, his sister Debora Lane and her husband Richard, his brother Justin Fielding and his children Rebecca and Robert, and his beloved dog Madison. To celebrate his life, friends and relatives are respectfully invited to attend a memorial service on Sunday, February 22nd, 2015 at 11 AM at the Boston Harborside Home, 580 Commercial Street, Boston. Parking attendants will be available. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made to Transplant Research at the MGH, c/o of the MGH Development Office, 100 Cambridge St., Boston, MA 02114 or to the New York Metropolitan Opera (http://www.metopera.org).

Boston Harborside Home of

JS Waterman-Langone

617-536-4110

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Boston Globe from Feb. 19 to Feb. 20, 2015.

Memories and Condolences
for MARK FISCHER

15 Entries

we all fly west

ken eckstein

August 1, 2015

Mark and I went to college together and maintained a friendship at Emerson...we particularly had lots of fun in Rev. Coffee's religious history classes; had a good sense of humor and he loved his dog Grickle, a brown poodle. Sorry to hear about it. Ken Eckstein

Alicia Yaghoobian

June 22, 2015

I worked for Mark for 7 years and I am just now finding out you passed. Thanks for introducing me to Strunk & White....You are missed, my friend!

Brian Sullivan

May 13, 2015

Mark has had an enormous positive impact on my life both professionally and personally.

I first met Mark when he was kind enough to represent me on a contingency basis when I was first starting out in the music business. He guided me through many complex issues with authority and put me on a level playing field with the biggest companies in the world - essentially out of the kindness of his heart. But more than that, Mark was an example of how to conduct myself in business. He would not just send over paperwork to sign. He was willing to walk through every clause and educate me on the how and why if I wanted to know as well as reaffirm the the importance of being not only curious but also seeing the humor in serious matters.

It would be difficult for me to articulate how much Mark has helped me in every legal and even non-legal endeavor in my life. I would call Mark from time to time over the years thinking I need to hire him. However, every time he would walk me through exactly what I needed to do in one phone call and never asked for a dime.

Mark's legal mind is well known the world over. However, astonishingly, his humanity is probably even greater.

Thank you Mark.

Rest in peace my friend.

Brian Sullivan
Founder, Sullivan Software Systems

Felicia Pakalnis

March 25, 2015

I worked for Mark for a few years, beginning as his secretary and then his paralegal. He was smart, funny, and very kind. He will be missed. My thoughts are with his family.
"Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality" - Emily Dickinson

Brad Smith

March 20, 2015

Mark, you were a superb customer, well liked by me and my staff. I enjoyed our audiophile conversations. I hope you're getting this in the Great Beyond and grooving to some good vibes. Brad Smith (AVD)

Kevin Burns

March 10, 2015

Dear Mark --
How I will miss you. Although I didn't get to see much of you since my move to CA, those visits 1-2 times a year were (and are) very special to me. You were my friend, my advocate and a source of great inspiration. You were also my link to eleven years in Boston. Many memories... Too many to mention. God bless you, my friend. You were loved.

March 9, 2015

Oh Mark
Despite you being a Red Sox fan
I'm so sorry to see you gone
You were a true Copyright lawyer
Will miss you
and our annual chats

Mark Shamlian

March 6, 2015

As a client of Mark's, albeit briefly, I found him genuinely warm and brilliant. I will miss him greatly.

Paul Lehrman

February 25, 2015

So sad to read about Mark's death in the Globe. He was an amazing resource for all things related to intellectual property in the arts. He helped me put together an unprecedentedly favorable contract with a multinational record company back in the '80s, which all my friends were amazed at, but ended up being a model for many future negotiations. He has been a guiding light for those of us navigating the shoals of copyrights and IP in the digital age, always displaying humor, humility, and a brilliant intellect. I consider myself lucky to have known him. He will be missed.

February 22, 2015

Your in our thoughts and prayers. Mark and Meg Sullivan

Paula Holmes

February 22, 2015

So very sorry. Though we only knew Mark through our son Paul, over the years it was more than enough to show us what a lightning bolt he was...a kind, funny, generous lightning bolt. I will never be able to listen to Todd Rundgren or Laura Nyro again without thinking of him. He literally rescued Paul from many youthful scrapes and became one of his dearest friends. "I'm having lunch with Mark" was announced through the years almost like a declaration of a special honor, which of course it was. May all of the wonderful tributes you hear about Mark somehow comfort and even gladden your hearts. May God bless and comfort Marney, Mrs. Fischer, and lovely Madison in the days to come.

Yvonne Venuti

February 21, 2015

Marney ~ so sorry. If we can do anything . . .

Yvonne & Michael

Linda Trimmier, RN

February 20, 2015

Mrs. Zelda Fischer and family, as one of Mark's early caregivers (1970's) I offer my profound condolences for your loss. From his law school days I always felt his potential greatness despite all potential odds. He was strong beyond measure and determined despite potential obstacles. My sincere condolences to you all. I was proud to have participated in his endeavors and care.

Cathy Merican

February 20, 2015

Justin, very sorry for your loss.

Terrie Williams

February 20, 2015

Marney - I am so sorry to hear of you and your family's loss. You and your husband are in my prayers. Terrie

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