Venable LLP is pleased to announce the addition of a group of five partners to its growing Intellectual Property Litigation – Technology Group. Timothy J. Carroll and Steven M. Lubezny will reside in the firm’s Chicago office; Manny J. Caixeiro and Laura Wytsma will reside in the firm’s Los Angeles office; and Elizabeth M. Manno will reside in the firm’s Washington, DC office. In addition, Vivian Sandoval, an associate, will reside in the Chicago office.

Dom Conde, a co-chair of Venable’s Intellectual Property Division, said, “We are thrilled that Tim, Manny, and their team are joining Venable. They are outstanding IP litigators who are client focused. They will be the third significant group of outstanding IP lawyers who have joined us in the last two months. They see what we know, namely that lawyers in Venable’s IP Group work together as a team and are unsurpassed in experience, depth, and quality. By joining us, they will further enhance that team spirit and reputation.”

Justin Pierce, a co-chair of Venable’s Intellectual Property Division, said, “We are always on the lookout for top-notch talent, and when we come across the right individual or team, we do all we can to bring them to the firm. That is the case with Tim and his team. They will integrate nicely with our IP attorneys and will work well across other practices and offices.”

Mr. Carroll said, “Venable takes pride in investing in its attorneys and offers a true partnership, which is what our team is looking for. The firm has exceptional IP litigation talent and industry experience over many geographic regions, which is very appealing to our practice, as it will enable us to grow our existing client base. We have worked hard to build an ethnically diverse team and look forward to being embraced by Venable.”

Mr. Carroll’s exceptional record of success in representing industry leaders and emerging companies in high-risk patent cases has earned him the respect of his peers and the trust of his clients. He focuses his practice on cutting-edge technologies, including mobile apps, location-based services, messaging systems, medical devices, content-management platforms, Wi-Fi-enabled thermostats, and green technologies. Mr. Carroll recently achieved an important victory for the leading smart thermostat manufacturer in an ITC investigation concerning the alleged infringement of four patents. The matter resulted in an initial determination in favor of his client. He also served as first chair for the defense in a patent infringement case involving a device referred to as an end fitting, which is used in oil production. It was the first hearing of its kind before Judge Alan Albright, whose courtroom in the Western District of Texas has recently become a hotbed for patent litigation. Mr. Carroll secured an outright victory when the court ruled in favor of his client in pretrial rulings, forcing the plaintiff to stipulate to non-infringement. He went on to successfully argue the appeal before the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Mr. Lubezny focuses his practice on intellectual property litigation and counseling. He has represented clients as litigation and trial counsel in district courts throughout the United States, with regard to such issues as patent infringement, trade secret misappropriation, false advertising, and trademark infringement.

Mr. Caixeiro represents industry leaders and cutting-edge companies in their most challenging litigation matters. He focuses on complex commercial and intellectual property disputes across a range of industries, including software, medical devices, financial services, and entertainment.

Ms. Wytsma represents clients in high-profile, high-stakes litigation, focusing on intellectual property proceedings in federal court, with an emphasis on patent and appellate litigation. She has significant trial experience as lead counsel and excels in presenting complex patent disputes to judges and juries.

Ms. Manno advises U.S. and international clients in the technology industry on patent infringement and other intellectual property matters. She has litigated patent and trademark cases before federal courts nationwide, including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and has secured wins for clients throughout various stages of litigation. Her intellectual property experience in the technology sector involves semiconductors, GPS, wireless devices, medical devices, and databases.

Ms. Sandoval advises U.S. and international organizations and startups in the software technologies, biomedical, and mechanical devices industries on patent counseling, prosecution, and litigation. Her intellectual property counseling experience includes patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets.

“Daylen comes to RPHC from the Office of the City Attorney in Hialeah, Florida, Where she served as Assistant City Attorney since 2014. Her areas of practice while with the City of Hialeah included contract, corporate, and municipal law and procurement. During her time there, she represented and provided legal advice to the City in all matters related to its operation with special focus in the purchasing,” reports Adjusters International in their blog.

“She has experience with drafting and negotiating city agreements of all kinds, including those necessary to secure needed resources for the efficient operation of the municipal government, as well as overseeing the bidding process for those resources in compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.”

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“If you’re an associate who’s got a major case of the Mondays, there’s nothing that’ll boost your motivation like an announcement that not only will your firm be raising salaries across the board for all associates but it will also be doling out special bonuses for some Kasowitz Benson Torres had,” reports Staci Zaretsky in Above The Law.

“Having taken out a PPP loan one which the firm has not yet disclosed if it’s been forgiven, but finished up the year with $219,396,000 gross revenue, landing it in 142nd place in the most recent Am Law 100 ranking. The firm is just now getting around to joining peer firms for special bonuses and commensurate salary increases.”

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“Conformis is a relatively small player in the orthopaedic market. Last year, with the pandemic dragging sales down, Conformis reported revenues of $68.8 million whereas net sales at Stryker clocked in at $14.4 billion. Stryker’s orthopaedic unit alone generated close to $5 billion in sales. Yet, Conformis has successfully pursued Zimmer and now Stryker over products it alleges infringe on its patents,” reports Nick Paul Taylor in Med Tech Dive.

“In 2015, Conformis granted Wright a license to use patient-specific instrument technology covered by its patents and patent applications with off-the-shelf foot and ankle implants. Five years later, in April 2020, Conformis filed a suit against Wright alleging products including Tornier Blueprint 3D Planning PSI shoulder replacement systems infringed on four of its patents.”

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“A Texas natural gas marketer has sued a unit of Chevron USA Inc in Houston federal court, asking for nearly $85 million from the oil giant for failing to make natural gas deliveries during a deep freeze across the state in February. In a complaint filed on Friday, Cailip Gas Marketing LLC located in Houston accuses Chevron Natural Gas of breaching a sales contract by delivering lower than agreed volumes,” reports Sebastien Malo in Reuters.

“Chevron did not immediately provide a comment. The complaint says that the San Ramon, California-based company has said force majeure excused the missed and incomplete deliveries. Cailip, which is represented by Anthony Arguijo of Scott Douglass & McConnico, claims that Chevron agreed to deliver 90,000 million British thermal unit (MMBtu) of gas daily but did not make full deliveries.”

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“As the summer heat raged, Brooklyn contract signings cooled last week. Twenty-three contracts for homes worth $2 million or more were inked from June 28 to July 5, down from the 30 deals signed the previous week, according to Compass’s weekly report. Ten were for condos, nine were for townhouses,” reports Cordilia James in The Real Deal.

“The asking prices of those contracts totaled $72.8 million, down from the $96 million total of the previous week. The most expensive contract signed was for a 3,068-square-foot Front & York penthouse at 85 Jay Street. The Dumbo condo was last listed at $7.85 million, or $2,559 per square foot, and has four bedrooms.”

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“Amtrak announced Wednesday that it would award a $3.4 billion contract to Sacramento-based Siemens Mobility to manufacture its latest line of energy-efficient trains. This contract is the largest ever for the North American branch of Siemens Mobility, which has been headquartered in Sacramento for the past 30 years. Beginning in 2024, the company will provide 73 new trains to Amtrak,” reports Amelia Davidson in Governing.

“The trains will operate primarily along the Northeast Corridor line, which currently features trains built up to 50 years ago. Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn pointed to the partnership as an important way to make trains more sustainable while also creating jobs and manufacturing opportunities in America. These new trains, some of which will be our first hybrid battery operations in the United States, will transform the way Americans travel.”

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“Contracts for five public WiFi hotspots around Evansville are now approved after the Board of Public Works met Thursday. This project was started by the city of Evansville’s Department of Metropolitan Development. After last year’s census, officials realized how many people in the city don’t have consistent access to the internet. The Board of Public Works approved contracts between the city,” reports Robinson Miles in 14 News.

“Low self response rates in the census helped the city identify areas where a lot of people don’t have internet access. They then picked locations that would serve those areas. The Department of Metropolitan Development hopes that people take advantage of them. I would hope that the reception would be positive, and that people will use it, Director of Metropolitan Development Kelley Coures said. It’s there, it’s free.”

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“Entrepreneur Donnel Baird wants to bring green ways of building to communities of color in the United States who are often the last to benefit from sustainability initiatives. After seeing Al Gore’s documentary An Inconvenient Truth in college, Baird decided on his mission to tackle both climate change,” reports Alicia Powell in Reuters.

“His company BlocPower helps small apartment buildings and other urban structures become more energy efficient. He wants all communities to benefit from the transition to cleaner energy, he said. Who gets those jobs? Who gets the wealth that gets created from that transition? Baird said. As people of color, are we going to be at the forefront of that or are we going to be like left behind? I think we should lead it.”

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“A coalition of three-dozen bipartisan state attorneys general has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google accusing the tech giant of running a monopoly for its app store. The 36 states include Utah, New York, California, Virginia, North Carolina and the District of Columbia,” reports Terry Collins in USA Today.

“The suit, filed in a U.S. District Court in San Francisco, alleges that Google uses “anti-competitive barriers and mandates to protect its monopoly power,” through its Android operating system and its Play Store app over other app stores available on Android devices, including a majority of smartphones sold globally. .”

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“Hired to be Liberty University’s executive vice president of management efficiencies and diversity and claiming he was fired four months later, Kelvin Edwards is suing the university for more than $8 million and accusing it of racial discrimination. Edwards, previously a wide receiver with LU and the NFL, was hired last July into a position that was created for him, he claimed in a lawsuit filed,” reports Rachel Mahoney in The News & Advance.

“The hire came amid a number of resignations by Black LU employees and three Black student-athletes transferring out, prompted in large part by tweets from then-president Jerry Falwell Jr. that were decried as racist and for which he later apologized. The university offered Edwards a $250,000 annual salary plus a $1,500 monthly vehicle allowance, scholarships for him and his family and construction of a new home for Mr. Edwards and his family on Liberty Mountain, according to the lawsuit.”

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“Ford Motor Co. on Wednesday said it has hired former U.S. federal lawyer and Obama administration official Steven Croley as its chief policy officer and general counsel. Ford’s hiring of Croley the husband of Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Bridget Mary McCormack comes amid a push to execute the company’s new growth plan,” reports Jordyn Grzelewski in The Detroit News.

“It also comes as the Blue Oval aims to successfully navigate the transition to electrified and digitally connected vehicles amid tightening government environmental regulations and President Joe Biden’s plans looks to reshape transportation and climate policy. Croley 55 who joins the company July 12, will work in areas including government relations, sustainability, safety, legal and privacy, according to a news release.”

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“July 1 has come and gone, and Biglaw associates across the country whose firms have matched are now eagerly awaiting their fat new paychecks on the $205K Davis Polk salary scale. Of course, we’ve seen some stragglers when it comes to matching the market, and by that, we mean that a few firms took their time sweet time and decided to announce their matches yesterday,” reports Staci Zaretsky in Above The Law.

“One firm that waited until the eleventh hour to match the new salary scale is really stretching its associates’ patience thin. Not only did partners wait to make their announcement until July 1, but these raises won’t be effective until February 1, 2022, a full seven months after nearly all other firms have instituted their salary increases. But, there is a bright side.”

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“Select Medical Corporation and Encore GC Acquisition LLC will pay $8.4 million to settle federal allegations in violation of the False Claims Act, the Department of Justice announced Friday. Pennsylvania based Select Medical Rehabilitation Services Inc. contracted with 12 SNFs in New York and New Jersey between January 2010 and March 2016 to provide rehabilitation therapy services,” reports Jordyn Reiland in Skilled Nursing News.

“The government alleged SMRS violated the act when it knowingly caused the facilities to submit false claims to Medicare for rehabilitation therapy services that were not reasonable, necessary or skilled. Selection Medical Corporation was SMRS’ prior parent company. The alleged conduct occurred before Encore GC Acquisition LLC became its successor-in-interest, according to the release.”

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Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that Rachel M. LaBruyere and Lissette Payne, attorneys in the firm’s Charlotte office, have earned the Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/E) credential in Europe through the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP). The firm now has 10 members of its Cybersecurity and Privacy team with ANSI Certifications in Privacy (CIPT, CIPP/US and CIPP/E).

Ms. LaBruyere is an associate in Bradley’s Litigation Practice Group. She received her J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law, her M.A. in Spanish and Latin American Studies from American University, and her B.A. in Spanish and Communication Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Prior to law school, Ms. LaBruyere lived and worked in Washington, D.C., where she specialized in digital strategy for organizations and campaigns.

Ms. Payne is a member of Bradley’s Banking and Financial Services Practice Group. In addition to her CIPP/E credential, she has her CIPP/US credential, which is concentrated on the U.S. private sector. Ms. Payne received her J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law and her B.A. in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Accredited by the ANSI/ISO, the CIPP/E credential encompasses pan-European and national data protection laws, key privacy terminology, and practical concepts concerning the protection of personal data and trans-border data flows. CIPP/E designated professionals demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of information privacy within the European context, including critical topics such as the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield and GDPR, as well as mandatory DPOs.

Michael Best is pleased to announce that Deborah Gerhardt has joined the firm’s growing Raleigh office as of counsel in its Intellectual Property Practice Group.

Gerhardt represents a wide range of clients, spanning Fortune 500 corporations, small businesses, nonprofits, museums, entertainment agents, musicians, and artists. She has successfully litigated disputes in state and federal courts, as well as before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers.

Prior to joining Michael Best, Gerhardt spent nearly 10 years in private practice before becoming a law professor. During her tenure in academics, she served as Director of the Intellectual Property Initiative at the University of North Carolina School of Law, Associate Director of the Intellectual Property Project at the University of Richmond, and as a professor at William & Mary Law School.

In tandem with her new role at Michael Best, Gerhardt will continue to serve as a Reef C. Ivey II Excellence Fund Term Professor of Law at the University of North Carolina School of Law, where she was awarded a University Distinguished Teaching Award for teaching trademark, copyright, intellectual property and art law.

“We are excited to welcome Deborah to our team in Raleigh,” said Ed Roney, Managing Partner of Michael Best’s Raleigh office. “She’s an excellent example of the strong talent our firm has brought on recently. Her experience in trademark and copyright law, coupled with her background in mentoring and teaching the upcoming generation of attorneys will help to strengthen our growing IP bench.”

The addition of Gerhardt comes on the heels of recent litigation attorneys Carrie Meigs and Justin May, who joined the firm’s Raleigh office last month.

“After years of working in academia and private practice, I am thrilled to be joining Michael Best to continue my legal practice,” said Gerhardt. “The triangle is a major creative and startup hub. I look forward to bringing all my experience to assist the firm’s clients.”

Gerhardt earned her J.D., cum laude from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, and her A.B. from Duke University. She has also been recognized for her work in Post-Baccalaureate Instruction.

New York City, July 7, 2021 – Adding its third D.C.-based partner in less than a month – and its eighth lateral partner in a year – Stroock continues to enhance service offerings for clients with the addition of Steven R. Schneider.

Steve counsels clients on tax ramifications related to real estate fund development, acquisitions, qualified opportunity zones, cross-border deals, dispositions, restructurings and real estate partnerships. A nationally recognized tax practitioner, Steve also advises clients on tax-related implications of REITs, international investing (including sovereigns), IRS audits and S corporations.

“Steve’s career has taken him from the IRS to the Big 4 to Big Law. This gives him a sophisticated and nuanced understanding of the myriad tax implications involved with structuring real estate and corporate transactions,” said firm Co-Managing Partner Jeff Keitelman, who also serves as Co-Chair for the Real Estate practice. “His insights on policy and practical outcomes will be invaluable to our clients.”

Further to his experience with the real estate activities of his clients, Steve has deep tax experience relating to corporate actions including mergers & acquisitions, private equity investments and joint ventures, having represented companies in transactions in the banking and financial services, credit, technology, automotive, bioscience, entertainment, and manufacturing industries, among others.

“I am thrilled to be joining Stroock, a firm with a great reputation for real estate and tax counsel,” Steve said. “The firm is highly regarded for its collegial atmosphere and commitment to providing superior client service.”

He earned his B.S., summa cum laude, from the University of Missouri, his J.D., Order of the Coif, from the Washington University School of Law and his LL.M., with distinction, from Georgetown University Law Center.

Steve’s addition to Stroock continues the firm’s active hiring in 2021. Late last month, Stroock expanded its government investigations capabilities with seasoned white collar and securities litigation partners Rich Morvillo, Scott Morvillo and Erin Murphy, which followed the addition of Real Estate/Hospitality partner Michael Kosmas and M&A/Private Equity corporate partner Peter Rooney.

JFI Medical, a team of nationally-accomplished African-American physicians and professionals dedicated to healthcare equity for disadvantaged communities, today announced Dr. Jerome Adams, the 20th United States Surgeon General, joined the organization as its Senior Public Health and Community Outreach Advisor.

JFI Medical was most recently recognized for providing COVID-19 testing to the Indianapolis Airport Authority, becoming the first African-American owned supplier of COVID-19 test kits to a major U.S. airport.

Dr. Adams served as Surgeon General for the Trump administration from September 5, 2017 to January 20, 2021, leading a team of approximately 6,500 healthcare officers in nearly 800 locations worldwide. He planned to focus on opioid addiction, mental health and childhood obesity, before coronavirus became the nation’s public health priority.

As a member of the President’s Coronavirus task force, Dr. Adams was at the forefront of America’s most pressing health challenges from the pandemic. A regular communicator on TV, radio, and in print, Dr. Adams is an expert not just in the science, but also in communicating science to various audiences.

Also as Surgeon General, Dr. Adams assisted organizations navigate the opioid epidemic, maternal health, rising rates of chronic disease, the impacts of rising suicide rates in our Nation, and how businesses can become better stewards and stakeholders in promoting community health and equitable access to healthcare resources.

Dr. Adams, a Maryland native with bachelor’s degrees in biochemistry and psychology from University of Maryland, a master of public health degree from University of California at Berkeley, and a medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine, has experience in dealing with healthcare crises. As Indiana’s health commissioner from 2014 through 2017, appointed by then Governor Mike Pence, Dr. Adams worked directly with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention while presiding over Indiana’s efforts to address Ebola and Zika, and the state’s unprecedented HIV and hepatitis C outbreak spurred by out-of-control opioid addiction.

Before entering public service, Dr. Adams was associate professor of clinical anesthesia at Indiana University School of Medicine and staff anesthesiologist at Eskenazi Health. He was also a researcher at medical schools in Netherlands and Zimbabwe. His leadership experience included the American Medical Association, Boards of the Indiana State Medical Association, the Indiana Society of Anesthesiologists, and chairing the Professional Diversity Committee for the American Society of Anesthesiologists.

In addition to serving on the frontline of our Nation’s fight against the pandemic, as Surgeon General Dr. Adams successfully partnered with and assisted organizations navigate the opioid epidemic, maternal health, rising rates of chronic disease, the impacts of rising suicide rates, and how businesses can become better stewards and stakeholders in promoting community health and equitable access to healthcare resources.

His motto as Surgeon General, “better health through better partnerships,” perfectly describes his role with JFI Medical and shared service to the Indiana community. JFI Medical Chief Medical Officer Dr. Brian Coleman and Chief Operating Officer Jerry Lacy were born and raised on the Northside of Indianapolis, serving some of the area’s most deprived neighborhoods. Dr. Coleman’s background as a nationally recognized orthopedic surgeon combined with Lacy’s years of experience in international trade, led the friends to form JFI Medical shortly after the number of COVID-19 cases in Indianapolis began escalating, as part of their continued commitment to address community health disparities.

“I’m honored and excited to partner with JFI Medical as we work to advance health access and decrease health disparities for vulnerable communities. Their commitment to health equity is what makes this such a great opportunity and great fit,” Dr. Adams said about his new role.

Within the last year, JFI Medical has expanded its impact and reach across the country through the addition of its esteemed board of advisors. “Dr. Adams’ stellar reputation precedes him. His extensive experience in the medical and healthcare fields make him an invaluable asset to JFI Medical,” said Bill Heller, Consumer Financial Services Practice Group Chair and Coronavirus Task Force Chair at Akerman LLP and Chief Legal Advisor to JFI Medical. “Dr. Adams undoubtedly will excel in this important position, for JFI Medical. Akerman looks forward to collaborating with Dr. Adams and the entire leadership team of JFI Medical to ensure its continued efforts toward eliminating glaring health disparities within diverse communities.”

Buchalter is pleased to welcome Marlene Williams, Shareholder in San Francisco and newest member of the Intellectual Property practice group. Her practice focuses on helping clients maximize the value of their brands and copyrights while avoiding risks connected with developing new brands and creative works. She collaborates with clients to strategically build trademark and copyright assets and protect the value of those assets as efficiently as possible.

“We are so thrilled to welcome Marlene to the Firm,” said Adam Bass, Buchalter President and Chief Executive Officer. “With her impressive background and significant intellectual property expertise, she will be a perfect fit for our San Francisco office.”

Williams’s practice involves the entire life cycle of a brand, including selection, worldwide protection, and enforcement. She works with both established and emerging companies in a wide-range of industries including the entertainment and performing arts, high tech, wine and alcoholic beverage, apparel, and food sectors.

“Everyone at the Firm has been so welcoming, and I am delighted to join Buchalter,” said Williams. “Buchalter has such an exceptional Intellectual Property group, and this move will allow me to continue to grow and expand my practice.”

Williams earned her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center, cum laude, and her B.A. in Political Economics from University of California, Berkeley, with honors. She is also fluent in German.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that J. Michael Wilson has joined the Charlotte office as a partner in the firm’s Tax and Trusts and Estates practice groups. The addition of Mr. Wilson highlights the firm’s strategic growth of its transactional practices in Charlotte specifically, as well as throughout its geographic footprint. He joins the firm from McGuireWoods.

“We are excited to welcome Mike to Bradley,” said Bradley Charlotte Office Managing Partner Christopher C. Lam. “Bringing Mike on board, combined with the recent addition of Kent Jones and Josh Stone in our real estate and finance practices, broadens the scope of our transactional capabilities in the Carolinas as we continue to expand the services we provide our clients.”

Mr. Wilson focuses his practice on taxation, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and fund formations, representing clients in a variety of industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, defense, technology, food and beverage, real estate, and renewable energy. He regularly represents private equity funds, strategic buyers and sellers, lenders and borrowers, and closely held businesses. Mr. Wilson also has significant experience structuring real estate transactions, including joint ventures, acquisitions, development, sales, like-kind exchanges, and conservation easements.

Prior to practicing law, Mr. Wilson was a tax consultant with Arthur Anderson. He earned his J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law and his B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.