Morrison & Foerster, a leading global law firm, is pleased to announce the addition of six highly regarded IP litigators to its Intellectual Property (IP) Litigation group. The San Francisco-based team, which joins from Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, consists of partners Stefani E. Shanberg and Jennifer J. Schmidt, of counsel Robin L. Brewer, and associates Eugene Marder, Madeleine E. Greene, and Michael J. Guo.
Ms. Shanberg and Ms. Schmidt lead an impressive IP litigation practice and have helped some of Silicon Valley’s top technology companies prevail in their important IP disputes. The team has secured wins and favorable outcomes for clients in federal court, arbitration, Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) proceedings, and the Federal Circuit Court of Appeal. The new litigators will further strengthen Morrison & Foerster’s globally renowned IP Litigation practice, including enhancing its representation of clients before the ITC under the unfair imports provision (Section 337) of the U.S. Tariff Act. Ms. Shanberg currently holds the prestigious position of President of the ITC Trial Lawyers Association—the first ever West Coast lawyer to assume this role.
“We are delighted to welcome such a tremendous group of trial lawyers whose commitment to deep client relationships makes them an ideal fit at Morrison & Foerster,” said Larren Nashelsky, chair of Morrison & Foerster. “Stefani, Jennifer, and the rest of the team’s technology expertise and focus also align with our reputation as a destination firm for technology companies looking for sophisticated and creative IP strategies.”
Morrison & Foerster’s IP Litigation group covers all aspects of intellectual property disputes, from complex patent litigation to trademark and interference matters before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The firm’s clients benefit from one of the largest and best-respected patent groups in the world, with more than 300 attorneys, more than half of whom are litigators. The arrival of Ms. Shanberg and Ms. Schmidt, as well as the rest of their team, also highlights Morrison & Foerster’s continued commitment to making strategic investments to its IP Litigation bench, following the additions of Mark Whitaker, David Manspeizer, and Greg Chopskie on the East Coast last year.
“Our six new outstanding lawyers will complement and further strengthen our IP Litigation group,” said Rich Hung, co-chair of Morrison & Foerster’s IP Litigation group. “Their deep expertise and knowledge in navigating complex IP disputes for technology companies, as well as their experience litigating in diverse venues, will be extremely valuable for our clients.”
The group’s move to Morrison & Foerster also underscores the firm’s focus on adding talented lawyers in the thriving San Francisco Bay Area market. The addition of Ms. Shanberg and Ms. Schmidt comes on the heels of the arrival of four new corporate partners – Dario Avram, Patrick Huard, Alex Kaufman, and Sara Terheggen – and of Joshua Hill, Jr., a white collar litigator, who have all come to the firm in the Bay Area over the last year.
“Morrison & Foerster’s reputation as a litigation and trial powerhouse, and as a leader in the Bay Area were key factors in our decision to join the firm. The firm is renowned as a destination for clients and litigators alike, and as an ideal home for litigators to practice,” said Ms. Shanberg. “Our team has been practicing law together and delivering value to clients for many years, and we are delighted to continue this momentum with the strong team at Morrison & Foerster.”
Ms. Schmidt added: “We look forward to continuing to provide our clients with strong, smart legal counsel from a global platform and to further solidifying the firm’s position as the leading IP group serving technology clients.”
Here is some further information on Morrison & Foerster’s newest attorneys.
•Stefani E. Shanberg’s practice focuses on patent litigation, with a particular emphasis on defending technology companies. She has extensive experience in all areas of intellectual property litigation and complex commercial litigation relating to intellectual property. Ms. Shanberg has handled matters before federal courts, the ITC, and the Federal Circuit Court of Appeal. Ms. Shanberg is the go-to advisor for many of the hottest technology companies facing intellectual property lawsuits and prides herself on an understanding of her clients’ businesses and goals. Ms. Shanberg’s patent litigation engagements have related to diverse technologies, including smartphone apps, email, network security, wireless communications, and other Internet, hardware, and software products, as well as consumer products.
While her practice involves matters pending throughout the nation, Ms. Shanberg has particular experience with investigations before the International Trade Commission and currently serves as the President of the ITC Trial Lawyers Association (ITC-TLA); she is the first West Coast President of the ITC-TLA. Ms. Shanberg is regularly recognized as a leading intellectual property litigator and as among the top women in technology law. She has her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law and her B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin, from which she graduated with high honors.
•Jennifer J. Schmidt’s practice focuses on patent litigation and related complex commercial litigation. Ms. Schmidt has more than a decade of significant trial experience in cases relating to diverse technologies and routinely handles matters before federal courts, the ITC, the PTAB, and arbitration tribunals. With an electrical engineering and computer science background, she focuses her practice on defending technology companies against claims of patent infringement in a wide range of technology fields, including computer hardware and software, video compression, smartphone apps, network security, search algorithms, semiconductor physics, and consumer products.
Ms. Schmidt is consistently ranked by Northern California Super Lawyers in their list of “Rising Stars,” and has also been recognized by New York Super Lawyers. She has her J.D. from Yale Law School, where she was the Managing Editor of the Yale Journal of Law and Technology,and an A.B. in electrical engineering and computer science from Harvard University, where she graduated magna cum laude and worked at the Harvard Robotics Lab.
•Robin L. Brewer’s practice focuses on patent litigation, including actions before the ITC, federal district courts, the Federal Circuit, and the PTAB. She has represented a variety of high-tech clients and has experience with cases involving digital wallets, network security, video compression technology, database systems, Internet advertising, email systems, smartphone apps, and online marketplaces. Ms. Brewer has successfully litigated all stages of a case, obtaining wins at federal district courts, PTAB, ITC, and Federal Circuit. She is consistently named to the “Rising Stars” list published by Northern California Super Lawyers. She has her J.D. from The George Washington University Law School with honors; her D.E.A. in Mechanical Engineering from the Institut National des Sciences Appliquees in Lyon, France; and her B.E. in biomedical engineering and A.B. in engineering science (cum laude), both from Dartmouth College.
•Eugene Marder’s practice focuses on patent litigation, primarily in software, electronic, digital media, and network technologies. He has represented a diverse array of high-tech clients and has had extensive involvement in high-stakes hardware and software patent litigation. In particular, Mr. Marder has significant trial experience in matters before federal district courts and the ITC. He has guided clients to successful outcomes at all stages of litigation, including victories through dispositive motions, at trial, and on appeal. He has a J.D. from Stanford Law School and his B.A. in international relations (magna cum laude) from the University of Southern California, where he was Phi Beta Kappa.
•Madeleine E. Greene’s practice primarily focuses on patent litigation in diverse technical fields, including network security, video compression, Internet applications, computer hardware and software, and housewares. She has experience in all stages of litigation and has represented clients before federal district courts throughout the country, the ITC, and the Federal Circuit. Ms. Greene has achieved favorable outcomes for numerous clients, including case resolutions resulting from successful claim construction and collateral proceedings along with total case victories through dispositive motions and on appeal. She has her J.D. from the University of San Francisco School of Law and her B.A. in Law & Society from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she received Dean’s Honors.
•Michael J. Guo’s practice focuses on patent litigation. He has experience with all aspects of litigation in a diverse range of technologies and has represented clients before district courts, the Federal Circuit, the PTAB, and the ITC. He has achieved favorable results for clients, such as winning motions to dismiss, obtaining findings of noninfringement, and invalidating patent claims in Patent Office proceedings. Prior to his legal career, he was a quantitative analyst and later a web developer. He has a J.D. from University of California at Los Angeles School of Law, where he was an editor of the UCLA Law Review, and a B.S. in economics and electrical engineering/computer science from Yale University.
Source: www.mofo.com
