Intellectual Property Litigation Team Joins Arnold & Porter in San Francisco
James A. DiBoise, Michael A. Berta, and Tracy Tosh Lane Expand the Firm's Northern California Capabilities and Core Strengths in IP and Litigation
SAN FRANCISCO, February 8, 2011 -- Arnold & Porter LLP announced today that a trial litigation team including James A. DiBoise, Michael A. Berta, and Tracy Tosh Lane have joined the firm's San Francisco office.
"Jamie, Mike, and Tracy have experience that fits extremely well with our existing intellectual property and litigation practices, which are core strengths of the firm," said Arnold & Porter Chair Thomas H. Milch. "As a well-known trial lawyer, Jamie is well-positioned to help a number of firm clients. Given the team's experience, they also will help us serve the unique and growing needs of our clients in the technology sector."
"Jamie and his team will significantly expand the capabilities of our growing Northern California offices, where intellectual property is a major focus," said Trenton H. Norris, head of Arnold & Porter's San Francisco and Silicon Valley offices. "This group excels at strategic business litigation, and we're thrilled to welcome them as colleagues."
Mr. DiBoise, who joins as partner, has tried high-profile cases for prominent technology companies, including disputes involving patents, trade secrets, copyrights, and trademarks, as well as complex commercial litigation. Mr. DiBoise has litigated cases in more than 25 different US District Courts. He also led trial teams in complex litigation outside of the United States, including the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong, in coordination with foreign counsel in those countries. He is a graduate of Stanford Law School, where he was a member of the Board of Editors of the Stanford Law Review.
Mr. Berta, who joins as partner, has litigated many high stakes complex commercial litigation matters, and also has significant trial experience in patent, copyright, and trade dress litigation in both federal court and before the International Trade Commission. His intellectual property cases have spanned a wide range of industries, including electronics, life sciences, and consumer products. Mr. Berta is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center.
Ms. Lane, who joins as counsel, has extensive litigation experience, with a practice that focuses on intellectual property and complex commercial litigation. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School.
Speaking on behalf of the team, Mr. DiBoise said, "Our group was attracted to Arnold & Porter because of the firm's deep bench in litigation, its first class reputation, and the diversity of practices throughout the firm. We're looking forward to expanding Arnold & Porter's IP litigation practice on the West Coast and working with our colleagues in litigation and intellectual property throughout the firm."
The group joins Arnold & Porter's growing team of West Coast lawyers. Recent arrivals in Northern California include a patent prosecution team led by Ginger Dreger, who joined in December of 2009, establishing Arnold & Porter in Silicon Valley. Ms. Dreger, a highly respected lawyer in the life sciences sector, provides counseling and strategic advice relating to domestic and international patent matters. In October of 2010, senior patent litigator Robert P. Taylor, who also counsels Silicon Valley companies on IP and antitrust issues, joined the firm, along with Maria Chedid, whose international arbitration practice focuses on intellectual property matters. Arnold & Porter now boasts a team of 73 lawyers in its Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Silicon Valley offices.
Arnold & Porter specializes in litigation, with more than 50 percent of the firm's lawyers focusing on litigation in a broad range of industries and practice areas. Arnold & Porter represents clients in cases before trial and appellate courts, government agencies, and other tribunals. Its clients include FORTUNE 500 corporations and smaller public and private companies, sovereign nations, financial services firms, investment funds, professional services firms, and individuals. Cases in which the firm is involved include commercial disputes, defense against tort claims, defense against class and derivative actions, fending off government enforcement proceedings, and challenging government action.
Arnold & Porter's intellectual property practice is international in scope, with 95 lawyers practicing in the areas of patents, copyrights, trademarks, rights of publicity, trade secrets, and related issues. The group is co-chaired by Ronald L. Johnston (Los Angeles), an IP litigator in the technology and entertainment industries, and David R. Marsh (Washington, DC), who focuses on counseling, interferences, and patent procurement in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, chemical, and medical device sectors, among others. Many members of the IP team have advanced degrees in scientific disciplines and engineering, as well as vital industry-sector experience that allows them to counsel clients on legal needs in the context of long-term strategic planning. The firm's IP lawyers work closely with lawyers from related practice areas who are skilled at dealing with the special issues involving IP in other areas of law, such as US antitrust and European competition, corporate law, public policy, product liability, and government contracts.
Arnold & Porter LLP is an international law firm of more than 700 lawyers with offices in Brussels, Denver, London, Los Angeles, New York, Northern Virginia, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and Washington, DC. The firm, founded in 1946, maintains more than 25 practice areas spanning a broad spectrum of the law, with a primary focus on litigation, transactional matters, and regulatory issues.