Global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP further expanded its Intellectual Property & Technology Practice with the strategic addition of Andrew B. Schwaab as a shareholder in its Silicon Valley office. Schwaab joins the firm from Knobbe Martens.

Schwaab is the third intellectual property shareholder to join the firm in California in 2018. Joining earlier in the year were Elizabeth Valentina in Los Angeles and Gretchen A. Ramos in San Francisco.

“Andy has more than 20 years of experience in strategic intellectual property matters, which makes him a tremendous resource for our clients,” said the co-managing shareholders of Greenberg Traurig’s Silicon Valley office, Michelle Ferreira and William J. Goines. “We are proud to welcome to our Silicon Valley team a practitioner with this level of commitment to clients, experience, and reputation. Andy is a leader in the IP law community in this market.”

Schwaab is a past president of the San Francisco Intellectual Property Law Association and currently the president of the Silicon Valley Intellectual Property Law Association. He was also the co-founder and co-chair of the greater China practice group at his prior firm, serves as the Vice-Chair of the CNIPA (Chinese Patent & Trademark Office)/U.S. Bar Liaison Council, and is involved in several other professional organizations, such as IEEE.

He focuses his practice on strategic intellectual property matters, including counseling, global patent prosecution, patent litigation, licensing, validity and infringement analyses/opinions, due diligence, and freedom-to-operate issues. He also handles matters related to a wide range of electrical and computer technologies.

Schwaab often assists clients with matters relating to software (from apps to global software platforms), computer systems and memory, semiconductor fabrication equipment and processes, digital rights management, blockchain, optical networks and components, flat panel displays, energy collection and conversion, global navigation and positioning systems, semiconductor devices, nanofabrication and other nanotechnologies, and internet enabled/related applications.

“Andy is an outstanding addition to our intellectual property team, particularly because of his international work and background in electrical and computer technologies,” said Ian C. Ballon, co-chair of the firm’s Global Intellectual Property & Technology Practice. “His extensive experience and industry knowledge are invaluable to our clients, who rely on our team to help them navigate unique and increasingly complex intellectual property matters.”

“I am proud to join Greenberg Traurig and its robust, highly-regarded team of intellectual property attorneys,” Schwaab said. “I was drawn to the firm’s global platform, which I believe will serve my clients well and enable me to continue to grow my practice.”

Schwaab received his J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law, where he was a founding member of the Science & Technology Law Society. He received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from University of Virginia.