Dickstein Shapiro Adds Team of Six IP Litigators; Opens Silicon Valley Office

Rapidly growing its Intellectual Property Practice on the West Coast, Dickstein Shapiro LLP is pleased to announce its expansion into Silicon Valley with the arrival of powerhouse IP litigation partners Deborah Fishman, Jeffrey Miller, and Krista Carter, as well as associates Katie Scott, Assad Rajani, and Jessica Hubley. The team represents companies ranging in size from Fortune 500 to start-ups in high-stakes patent litigation involving a wide range of technologies, as well as in patent portfolio management and patent and trademark infringement matters.

“Dickstein Shapiro is committed to assertively growing its Intellectual Property Practice, and we are thrilled to continue our expansion in California with the arrival of this talented IP litigation team led by Deborah Fishman,” said Gary Hoffman, head of Dickstein Shapiro’s Intellectual Property Practice. “Silicon Valley is a hotbed of innovation and home to many of the world’s largest technology corporations. As a major legal services provider to the high-tech industry, we will continue to grow our presence there in the coming months, enhancing the top-notch service we provide to our clients.”
“Dickstein Shapiro is very clearly committed to investing in its leading IP Practice on the West Coast and nationally, and the new Silicon Valley office is a natural fit with our capabilities, experience, and footprint,” said Ms. Fishman. “We are particularly excited to be working with such a seasoned team of litigators, many of whom we have worked with previously. Dickstein Shapiro has assembled a truly deep bench of tech-savvy attorneys and first-chair litigators, and we look forward to joining the team, collaborating with colleagues, and leveraging the practice’s talent to advance our clients’ business interests.”
The arrival of this team follows that of patent litigation partners Robert W. Dickerson, Yasser M. El-Gamal, and Allan W. Jansen, as well as Senior Counsel James W. Geriak, which the firm announced on February 16, 2011 [Dickstein Shapiro Grows California IP Practice; Welcomes Four Renowned Patent Litigators in Los Angeles and Orange County]. The arrival of these Northern and Southern California groups is a reunification of teams from two well-regarded West Coast IP boutiques.
Deborah Fishman is a first-chair litigator who focuses her practice on patent and commercial litigation for technology companies with an emphasis on life sciences matters. She has successfully represented Fortune 500 companies in critical patent cases and commercial disputes and has litigated five lawsuits worth more than $1 billion through trial. She handles cases involving biotechnology and pharmaceutical patents and has provided strategic litigation counseling and analysis for biotech and IT clients. Ms. Fishman’s experience also includes antitrust, trade secrets, and general commercial litigation. She earned her J.D. from Columbia Law School, as well as a B.S. in biology, and a B.A. in political science from Stanford University. Ms. Fishman previously was with Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, and she will join Dickstein Shapiro on March 10, 2011.
Jeffrey Miller is a first-chair trial attorney and handles all aspects of patent litigation, strategic patent counseling, licensing, and patent prosecution (both foreign and domestic). He has extensive experience representing many different technologies, including integrated circuit design, packaging and fabrication, biometrics, wireless, electronic design automation, image processing, electronics assembly, optical display systems, networking, and power tools. Mr. Miller has also negotiated hundreds of millions of dollars in strategic transactions including the licensing and acquisition of worldwide patent portfolios. Mr. Miller earned his J.D. from Boston University School of Law and graduated with a B.S. in electrical engineering from Union College. Previously with Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, Mr. Miller joined Dickstein Shapiro on February 23, 2011.
Krista Carter focuses her practice on IP litigation and strategic counseling for innovative biotechnology and information technology companies. She has successfully represented, and continues to represent, high-profile clients in district court actions, on appeal, and before the International Trade Commission on matters ranging from small to highly strategic, complex cases. Prior to her legal career, Ms. Carter served in the U.S. Air Force. She earned her J.D. from Santa Clara University School of Law with a certificate in high technology law and graduated with a B.A. in political science from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Ms. Carter was previously with Howrey. She joined Dickstein Shapiro on March 1, 2011.
Dickstein Shapiro’s nationally ranked Intellectual Property Practice has approximately 100 IP attorneys who work with clients to develop strategies that capitalize on their intellectual property assets and achieve their business objectives. The firm is ranked by Chambers USA, Managing Intellectual Property, and Intellectual Property Today as a top firm for intellectual property work. Dickstein Shapiro has the experience, skill, and knowledge to successfully solve intellectual property problems for clients striving to succeed in this ever-changing, highly competitive arena. The firm continues to significantly expand its Intellectual Property Practice with a focus on California, which now comprises approximately 20 IP attorneys, and expects that the group’s bench there will continue to grow throughout the year. The firm’s Intellectual Property Practice has more than 15 first-chair jury trial attorneys and its attorneys have litigated more than 800 patent infringement actions.