Chris Drymalla, who represents a variety of technology and energy sector companies in patent prosecution and litigation matters, has joined Pillsbury’s Intellectual Property practice as a partner in Austin, Texas. He comes to the firm from Bracewell.
“Chris’ arrival greatly enhances our already significant patent capabilities in Austin and firmwide,” said Pillsbury’s Intellectual Property practice section co-leader Jack Barufka. “He is a known quantity in the tight-knit Texas technology scene and will help our clients enormously with his technical know-how, patent experience and strategic aptitude.”
Drymalla provides Fortune 500 corporations as well as mid-sized and emerging companies with strategic patent portfolio counsel, particularly with software, electrical, oilfield, medical and mechanical technologies. He has extensive experience advising on patent prosecution matters and offering portfolio analyses, patentability analyses and non-infringement and invalidity opinions. A mechanical engineer who worked at National Instruments Corporation prior to starting his legal career, Drymalla also regularly serves as a technical lead in complex patent litigation—an increasingly important need as the Western District of Texas continues to see a surge in bet-the-company patent cases.
“Having opened in Austin in 2014, Pillsbury is immensely proud not only to have witnessed the region’s technology boom, but also to have played a part in it,” said Austin managing partner Ed Cavazos. “The addition of Chris, who I have previously worked with and can’t wait to collaborate with again, both advances our support of the red-hot tech sector in Texas and enables us to better serve clients worldwide.”
Pillsbury’s Intellectual Property team has served leading edge clients for more than 120 years, providing business with comprehensive strategies to protect, manage and optimize IP assets. Comprised of more than 100 IP lawyers, technical consultants, patent agents, and former U.S. Patent and Trademark Oï¬ce examiners, the nationally recognized practice has been lauded by Chambers USA, The Legal 500 U.S. and U.S. News – Best Lawyers, with notable praise for its IP litigation and patent prosecution capabilities.
“I’m thrilled to re-join my former colleagues Ed Cavazos and Josh Tucker and to be a part of a full-service IP practice as highly regarded as Pillsbury’s,” Drymalla said. “The firm is renowned for its strong ties to the tech and energy industries, and I am excited to work with current and future clients to leverage the firm’s impressive platform.”
Pillsbury’s global Technology Industry team brings together more than 300 sector-focused lawyers to meet the progressive needs of innovators, entrepreneurs and disruptors around the world. Recently ranked among the top three most active law firms in the world for VC financings, we have advised on over $20 billion in venture financings, as well as completed nearly 100 IPOs and navigated more than $400 billion in M&A transactions. Our lawyers have led in excess of 1,000 strategic outsourcing and technology transactions worth more than half a trillion dollars in contract value and filed approximately 30,000 technology company patents. To learn more, visit pillsburylaw.com/tech.
