Allen & Overy today announced that Sapna W. Palla has joined the firm as a partner in its intellectual property litigation practice, based in New York. Sapna joins from Wiggin & Dana LLP, where she led the Life Sciences intellectual property litigation team for seven years and helped build out the firm’s IP litigation service offerings.
With more than 20 years of experience in U.S. patent litigation and advising global life sciences companies, Sapna is deeply versed in patent technologies for pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, drug delivery systems and medical devices. She also brings deep experience in trade secret, trademark, and copyright litigation, further expanding the firm’s U.S. intellectual property expertise following the return of Paul Keller as partner last year.
Tim House, U.S. senior partner commented: “One of Allen & Overy’s stated ambitions is to offer the firm’s multinational clients a truly scaled and high-quality patent litigation offering. The addition of Sapna is an important step towards meeting that strategic and global goal. We look forward to having her decades of IP experience strengthen our offerings for both U.S.-based clients and global companies who conduct business in life sciences and other dynamic markets.”
Karen Seward, global head of litigation said: “Sapna’s hire is a continuation of our sustained investment in building a full-service global IP litigation offering that can support our life sciences clients on their most business-critical patent disputes both in the US and in other key markets. We are delighted to welcome her, and the deep expertise and experience she brings to A&O.”
Ms. Palla commented, “Allen & Overy is well positioned to address clients’ IP litigation matters on a global scale. As IP litigation is met with new innovations and technologies, clients will benefit from A&O’s well-integrated and global IP offering, and I look forward to working with the firm’s talented teams to deliver expert counsel in both U.S. and cross-border engagements.”
Allen & Overy welcomes Sapna as its eleventh lateral hire in the firm’s U.S. offices since the start of this calendar year.
Sapna earned her J.D. from Pace University School of Law in New York where she is also an Adjunct Professor of Intellectual Property Law. She is also a member of the New York Intellectual Property Association and the Immediate Past President of the Asian American Bar Association of New York.
