Foley & Lardner Expands IP Practice with Five New Partners in California
Foley & Lardner LLP has added five new partners to its California offices, strengthening its national Intellectual Property Department and expanding its presence in the Innovative Technology and Health Care & Life Sciences sectors.
John Schnurer, Louise Lu, Kevin Patariu, and Miguel Bombach join the firm’s IP Litigation Practice Group and Innovative Technology Sector in San Diego. Tom Anderton joins the Chemical, Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical Practice Group in San Francisco.
Schnurer, Lu, Patariu, and Bombach, all formerly of Perkins Coie, bring experience in patent litigation, Section 337 investigations before the U.S. International Trade Commission, post-grant proceedings, and intellectual property portfolio management. The group has collectively handled over 70 ITC investigations and more than 270 inter partes review petitions before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Schnurer and Patariu previously co-chaired Perkins Coie’s ITC Litigation Practice. Schnurer, with a background in electrical engineering, has tried numerous patent cases and counseled clients from Asia, including Taiwan, China, Korea, and Japan.
Lu is experienced in litigation involving wireless, AI, encryption, and semiconductors. Patariu has led several successful ITC investigations and has also handled cybersecurity and privacy matters. Bombach has tried several jury trials and led more than 100 patent cases to resolution, including cases in LED lighting, power converters, and wireless systems.
Anderton, formerly of K&L Gates, advises companies in the biopharmaceutical, life sciences, and medical device sectors on IP procurement, licensing, technology transactions, and patent portfolio strategy. He brings experience as a former life sciences executive. He has handled matters involving cross-border transactions, particularly in China and Europe.
Firm Chairman and CEO Daljit Doogal said the additions are part of a long-term strategy to grow Foley’s California footprint and deepen its capabilities in key sectors. “Their practices seamlessly align with our broader strategic plan, and their collective experience further solidifies our capabilities in the Innovative Technology Sector and our expertise in patent litigation, particularly before the U.S. ITC,” Doogal said.
The firm now has more than 300 professionals in its Intellectual Property Department. The latest hires follow other recent additions and reflect Foley’s continued focus on strategic growth in high-demand legal areas.
