Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that Jessica Sparhawk has joined the firm’s Montgomery office as an associate in the Litigation Practice Group.

“We are happy to welcome Jessica to our experienced team of litigators in Montgomery,” said Bradley Montgomery Office Managing Partner Robert Emmett Poundstone IV.

Ms. Sparhawk received her J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law, where she was a member of the University of Miami Law Review. During law school, she was a clinic intern for The Eleanor R. Cristol and Judge A. Jay Cristol Bankruptcy Pro Bono Assistance Clinic. She received her Bachelor of Arts (magna cum laude) from the University of Nevada.

The Litigation Practice Group is Bradley’s largest practice and includes almost half of the firm’s nearly 550 attorneys who represent clients in litigation and arbitration in every U.S. state and federal district court across the country, as well as internationally. Attorneys handle matters in nearly every substantive area of business law and in a wide range of industries, including high-stakes and complex cases.

About Bradley
Bradley combines skilled legal counsel with exceptional client service and unwavering integrity to assist a diverse range of corporate and individual clients in achieving their business goals. With offices in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and the District of Columbia, the firm’s nearly 550 lawyers represent regional, national and international clients in various industries, including banking and financial services, construction, energy, healthcare, life sciences, manufacturing, real estate, and technology, among many others.

Regulated corporations today are challenged to personalize their web presence and deliver complex information to customers in a way that is clear, compelling, and creating a memorable experience. As the customer experience becomes a key differentiator, compliance and marketing professionals must ensure that more and more dynamic information from complex websites is defensibly captured and preserved for regulatory compliance.

Hanzo, the company known for its pioneering technology in dynamic web archiving for compliance and ediscovery, is announcing new innovations to deliver the highest quality captures of dynamic web content regardless of the complexity of the website. Hanzo Dynamic Capture is built to deliver the highest-fidelity contextual data captures for corporate ediscovery and compliance teams to preserve the most dynamic and interactive data sources today.

Hanzo is releasing its fifth-generation crawler to support its long-term commitment to capturing the ever-evolving landscape of web technologies. With a focus on rapid updates, this technology will support the evergreen nature of today’s web.

“For over 10 years Hanzo has been focused on addressing enterprise challenges surrounding defensibly archiving dynamic data that is embodied by today’s interactive complex websites, social media, and collaboration applications,” said Keith Laska, CEO, Hanzo. “Our commitment is to future-proof current and future customers. That’s why financial services and insurance marketers rely on Hanzo to capture the most complex charts, graphs, and personalized information so that they can easily meet their complex regulatory compliance requirements.”

About Hanzo

Hanzo provides modern ediscovery and compliance software for enterprise organizations. Our solutions empower legal and compliance teams to efficiently manage the preservation, targeted collection, and review of dynamic content from enterprise collaboration applications, social media, and complex websites. Hanzo is SOC 2® Type 2 certified, demonstrating Hanzo’s commitment to data security and serves large corporations across the globe—giving them control, visibility, and context over their data to reduce cost and mitigate risk. Learn more at hanzo.co.

Dallas office doubles headcount in just 14 months

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that prominent business attorney David L. Pratt has joined the firm’s Dallas office as a partner, expanding the firm’s real estate, banking, and financial services practices. Anna Lee Alford also joins the firm as an associate.

“Adding David and Anna Lee to our Dallas office allows us to enhance the business transactional services we can provide to our clients on the local, regional, and national level,” said Richard A. Sayles, managing partner of Bradley’s Dallas office. “David is well known in the Texas legal community for his broad real estate and financial services practice, and his skills will help us better meet the expectations of our clients.”

Bradley Chairman and Managing Partner Jonathan Skeeters added, “The addition of David to our Dallas office reflects the firm’s commitment to expanding the transactional services we offer to clients in Texas and beyond, even in a challenging economy. David’s deep skill set, broad experience and client base of lenders, developers and operators will allow the firm to expand our capabilities in Texas while we continue to successfully meet our clients’ needs across the country.”

Pratt brings a pragmatic business-oriented approach to counseling clients based on his more than 25 years as a general business, banking, and commercial real estate law attorney. Mr. Pratt represents developers and operators in all aspects of development transactions including land-use planning, construction, and lending matters; as well as the representation of landlords and tenants in retail, office and industrial development, sales and leasing transactions. In addition, his practice includes the representation of banks and other financial institutions in a variety of loan originations, workouts, and foreclosure transactions. Before joining Bradley, Pratt was a founding partner of Johnston Pratt PLLC and a director with Kane Russell Coleman & Logan PC. Pratt received his J.D. from the University of Tulsa Law School and his B.B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin.

“Joining Bradley is a client-driven decision. Many of my clients need a full-service law firm with a deep bench of attorneys that can offer high-quality legal services efficiently, and at rates that offer high value. Bradley covers all of these bases, and I am thrilled to join the firm,” Mr. Pratt said.

Alford joins as an associate from Pratt’s former firm and focuses her practice on real estate finance, financial services, and business and corporate transactions. She advises commercial lenders and commercial real estate owners, developers, investors and tenants. Alford received her J.D. from The University of Texas School of Law and has a M.S. in Finance and a B.S.B.A. (cum laude) in International Business.

Bradley’s Dallas office has doubled in size since it opened in January 2019. In addition, the firm has grown to more than 45 lawyers located across offices in Dallas and Houston, and more than 70 lawyers licensed in the state, allowing the firm to handle a wide variety of legal issues for clients in Texas and beyond.

About Bradley
Bradley combines skilled legal counsel with exceptional client service and unwavering integrity to assist a diverse range of corporate and individual clients in achieving their business goals. With offices in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and the District of Columbia, the firm’s nearly 550 lawyers represent regional, national and international clients in various industries, including banking and financial services, construction, energy, healthcare, life sciences, manufacturing, real estate, and technology, among many others.

DALLAS – In recognition of their work on behalf of personal injury and wrongful death clients, Dallas trial lawyers Michael Lyons and Chris Simmons have been selected among the Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers for 2020.

Selection to the Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers list is based on a rigorous process that includes internal research of top verdicts and settlements, as well as through interviews conducted with attorneys nationwide, in which they are asked to identify other attorneys they admire and who they would hire in a personal legal matter. Mr. Lyons and Mr. Simmons, co-founders of Dallas-based Lyons & Simmons, LLP, share a proven record of obtaining outstanding results for their clients in high-stakes, high-exposure cases tried before judges, juries and arbitrators involving life-altering personal injuries, wrongful death and “bet-the-company” business disputes across the country.

“We are so grateful for this tremendous recognition by our peers. I can tell you that it has been a real honor representing our clients, and what comes with that is a responsibility to do everything we can to get the best result,” said Mr. Simmons.

Mr. Lyons agreed, adding, “I’m extremely honored to be mentioned among this elite group of lawyers. In my heart I believe we’ve done some incredible things in the most difficult circumstances our clients will face and in the process we have inspired real change. That means a lot to me.”

Known for an aggressive approach that utilizes innovative technology and creativity, Mr. Lyons has earned professional accolades for personal injury and business litigation work including selection among the Top 100 Lawyers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area by Texas Super Lawyers, as well as Best Lawyers in America and D Magazine’s Best Lawyers in Dallas recognition. He is a member of the Million Dollar and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forums, as well as a member of America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators.

Combining strategic and creative problem-solving abilities with highly skilled advocacy, Mr. Simmons has obtained record-setting results for his clients and has earned recognition as one of the top 100 lawyers under 40 in Texas by Texas Super Lawyers. He also has been included in D Magazine’s Best Lawyers in Dallas and has earned a Professional Excellence Award from Texas Lawyer magazine.

About Lyons & Simmons LLP
Dallas-based Lyons & Simmons, LLP is a trial boutique representing clients in wrongful death, personal injury, products liability and “bet-the-company” business litigation matters across the country. To learn more, visit http://www.Lyons-Simmons.com.

Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Jose Villarreal has been named managing partner of the firm’s Austin office. He is the Austin office’s first managing partner since its official opening in February 2020.

A veteran patent litigator and advisor to technology and growth companies, Villarreal focuses his practice on patent litigation and patent trials, strategic intellectual property counseling and licensing, and merger and acquisition IP diligence across diverse technologies including semiconductors, telecommunications, and software. He has represented clients in federal district courts around the country and before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the U.S. International Trade Commission, and the U.S. Patent Trial and Appeal Board.

Prior to his legal career, Villarreal worked in the telecommunications and networking industry. Jose has served on the Conference Planning Committee of the University of Texas School of Law Advanced Patent Law Institute since 2014 and is a founding member of the Yeakel IP Inn of Court.

Drawn by the dynamic growth of the Texas economy, Perkins Coie first entered the Texas market 10 years ago with the opening of its Dallas office. With the addition of the Austin office, the firm now has more than 30 attorneys in the Lone Star State across a range of practices, with particular strength in technology and privacy.

Texas Super Lawyers® Names Langley . Banack & Pfeuffer’s Justin B. Morley
Rising Star in Family Law for 2020.

Morley, who runs the firm’s Central Texas office in New Braunfels, provides counseling in family law matters, probate and guardianship law, probate litigation, estate planning, will preparation, temporary and permanent guardianship, medical powers of attorney and more. He is Board Certified in Family Law, a Certified Mediator, and was named a Fellow of American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers in 2019.

Morley graduated from St. Mary’s University School of Law with a J.D. in 2006. While a law student, he was a member of the Dean’s List, the International Legal Honor Society, Phi Delta Phi, and an Associate Editor of the St. Mary’s Law Journal. Morley received a B.A. from Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, in 2002.

Langley & Banack, Inc. has 18 specific practice areas that feature a depth of experience to provide the highest quality legal representation to clients. Their main office is in San Antonio, with additional offices located in Carrizo Springs, Castroville, Eagle Pass, Fredericksburg, Karnes City, Kerrville and New Braunfels. For more information about the firm, please visit www.langleybanack.com.

The International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) has announced that Curtis J. Busby, a partner at Bowman and Brooke LLP in Phoenix, has accepted an invitation to join the IADC, the preeminent invitation-only global legal organization for attorneys who represent corporate and insurance interests.

“I am excited to become acquainted with such a talented group of attorneys that make up the IADC’s membership,” Mr. Busby said.

Mr. Busby focuses his practice on defending manufacturers in product liability claims throughout the Southwestern United States including Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and New Mexico. Having defended large corporations in very technical and complex claims involving catastrophic injury and wrongful death, Mr. Busby has extensive experience in litigation for nearly every major vehicle manufacturer. In addition, he has worked extensively representing manufacturers of household appliances and products in consumer products litigation. He also has experience in the energy industry.

Mr. Busby received his J.D. from the Brigham Young University J. Reuben Clark Law School and his Bachelor of Arts (cum laude) from Brigham Young University. He is licensed to practice in Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.

About the International Association of Defense Counsel
The IADC is the preeminent invitation-only global legal organization for attorneys who represent corporate and insurance interests. Founded in 1920, the IADC has members who hail from six continents, 51 countries and territories, and all 50 U.S. states. The core purposes of the IADC are to enhance the development of skills, promote professionalism, and facilitate camaraderie among its members and their clients, as well as the broader civil justice community. For more information, visit www.iadclaw.org.

The Supreme Court ruled in Romag Fasteners v. Fossil Group that a trademark holder is not required to prove that infringement was willful to obtain the infringer’s profits. Romag had reached an agreement whereby Fossil would use Romag magnetic fasteners on Fossil handbags and other products. Romag subsequently discovered the Chinese factories that Fossil had hired to make the Fossil products were using counterfeit Romag fasteners and Fossil was doing little to prevent such occurrences. Romag filed suit in the District of Connecticut. A jury found Fossil liable for trademark infringement but determined while Fossil had acted “in callous disregard” of Romag’s rights, Fossil had not acted willfully. The District Court determined that, under Second Circuit precedent, willfulness was a prerequisite to the award of Fossil’s profits on the sales of the infringing goods, and therefore denied Romag’s request for Fossil’s profits. The Federal Circuit (who heard the appeal due to the existence of patent infringement issues) agreed that Second Circuit precedent required willfulness, while noting that other Circuit Court’s had disagreed.

The Supreme Court resolved the Circuit split and reversed the decision. The Court noted that, while the statutory language expressly requires a finding of willfulness as a precondition for defendant’s profits for trademark dilution, it does not for trademark infringement. The Court noted that the reluctance to read into statutes words that are not present is enhanced where the term in question appears elsewhere in the same statutory provision. The Court further noted that the Lanham Act makes frequent use of the defendant’s mental state, be it through terms like “willful,” “intentional” or “knowing,” that suggests where willfulness is required, the Lanham Act expressly provides for such. The absence of an express requirement strongly suggests willfulness is not a prerequisite.

Fossil sought to find a willfulness requirement implied in the Act’s requirement that defendant’s profits be awarded “subject to the principles of equity.” The Court refused, however, to read such requirement into that phrase, noting that “equity” is used widely in the law without being so interpreted. A different section of the Lanham Act, for example, lists laches, estoppel and acquiescence as examples of equitable principles, none of which relate to willful infringement. Accordingly, it would be difficult to imagine that the phrase was intended by Congress to incorporate a willfulness requirement in the sole instance of disgorgement of profits, particularly where Congress had seen fit to expressly include the defendant’s mental state in other portions of the statute in question. The Court further found that, while precedent indicated mental state was an important consideration in awarding profits (and should remain so), the case law did not speak clearly to the issue one way or the other.

The Court rejected Fossil’s policy-based argument for the inclusion of willfulness, noting that such policy decisions are for Congress — not the courts — to determine. Justices Alito, Breyer and Kagan concurred, writing separately and briefly to assert that willfulness, while not an absolute precondition, is a highly important consideration in the analysis. Justice Sotomayor concurred but sought to expressly exclude good-faith or innocent infringement from resulting in an award of profits as not being in accordance with traditional understanding of equity.

Thomas McNulty is Counsel at Boston intellectual property law firm, Lando & Anastasi, LLP.

Sidley Austin LLP is pleased to welcome Nathan Greene and Jay Baris as partners in its Investment Funds group in New York. Greene and Baris joined Sidley from Shearman & Sterling LLP, where they were both partners in the Investment Funds practice.

Greene represents U.S. and foreign investment companies, sponsors, advisers and directors in complex formation, operational and regulatory matters, especially with issues arising under the Investment Company Act of 1940. His practice includes SEC registration and other related matters, fund formation, associated distribution and marketing, and fund board and governance matters. Mr. Greene frequently counsels funds and financial institutions on regulatory considerations around emerging technology like big data, blockchain and artificial intelligence. He is widely known for his work in the registered alternatives market and for advising clients in M&A deals relating to registered advisers.

With more than 35 years of experience in the asset management area, Baris has advised many clients on a full spectrum of financial services regulation, transactions and governance matters. He is highly recognized for his work with registered funds on the regulatory aspects of fund and investment advisory operations. Similar to Mr. Greene, Baris has represented many clients on M&A, reorganizations, compliance, exceptive, and “status” issues under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Baris is the chair of an investment management task force on blockchain and cryptocurrencies with the American Bar Association and counsels fintech clients on cryptocurrency issues.

The International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) has entered into a strategic, two-year cross-promotional partnership with the International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (CPR), a global non-profit organization that advances dispute prevention and resolution practices and provides high-quality solutions.

Through the collaboration, IADC members will gain access to the CPR’s numerous resources and publications, as well as preferential rates for CPR membership and attendance at CPR events, including the organization’s annual meeting that convenes panels on a variety of topics of interest to the alternative dispute resolution community. Both U.S. and international IADC members can apply to serve on CPR’s Panel of Distinguished Neutrals.

As part of the partnership, the IADC recommends CPR to its membership as an ADR provider whose arbitration, mediation and dispute resolution services and rules can be utilized worldwide by the IADC’s approximately 2,500 members and their clients. In addition, the IADC will promote membership with the CPR among IADC members and will facilitate attendance by CPR corporate members at the IADC’s Corporate Counsel and International Corporate Counsel Colleges, which provide content of particular interest to the in-house community.

The IADC and CPR also will explore joint programming opportunities through the new collaboration.

“We believe the IADC’s collaboration with the International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution will be a great partnership that delivers enhanced benefits and new professional development opportunities for our members,” said IADC President Amy Sherry Fischer.

CPR President and CEO Allen Waxman said, “With our goal of enhancing and improving the dispute prevention and resolution process, we look forward to a fruitful collaboration with IADC, and to providing our innovative dispute resolution services, thought leadership, tools and resources to an even broader audience.”

About the International Association of Defense Counsel
The IADC is the preeminent invitation-only global legal organization for attorneys who represent corporate and insurance interests. Founded in 1920, the IADC has members who hail from six continents, 51 countries and territories, and all 50 U.S. states. The core purposes of the IADC are to enhance the development of skills, promote professionalism, and facilitate camaraderie among its members and their clients, as well as the broader civil justice community. For more information, visit www.iadclaw.org.

About CPR
Established in 1977, the International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (CPR) is an independent, nonprofit organization that helps prevent and resolve legal conflict more effectively and efficiently.

The CPR Institute drives a global prevention and dispute resolution culture through the thought leadership of its diverse membership of top companies, law firms, lawyers, academics, and leading mediators and arbitrators around the world. The Institute convenes best practice and industry-oriented committees and hosts global and regional meetings to share practices and develop innovative tools and resources. The Institute trains on dispute prevention and resolution, publishes a monthly journal on related topics, and advocates for supporting and expanding the capacity for dispute prevention and resolution globally.

CPR Dispute Resolution harnesses the thought leadership and output of the Institute while providing independent ADR services – mediation, arbitration, early neutral evaluation, dispute resolution boards and others – through innovative and practical rules and procedures and through CPR’s Panel of Distinguished Neutrals.

For more information visit https://www.cpradr.org.

DALLAS – Trial attorney Alex Brauer, co-founder of the litigation boutique Bailey Brauer PLLC, has been selected for a fifth time among the top attorneys in Dallas by D Magazine. 

 Mr. Brauer was named to the 2020 Best Lawyers in Dallas list in recognition of his work in commercial litigation. Clients nationwide rely on Mr. Brauer to handle high-stakes business disputes ranging from breaches of noncompete agreements to allegations of transaction fraud and deceptive trade practices.  

“Alex is respected by clients for lending a sophisticated blend of experience, litigation expertise and creative legal strategy to all matters,” said firm co-founder Clayton Bailey. “Other lawyers in Dallas respect Alex’s reputation for achieving results, and this honor indicates that.”  

 Bailey Brauer attorneys offer multifaceted courtroom experience forged over many years practicing at some of the world’s leading law firms. Qualified, experienced attorneys handle each complex legal matter more cost-effectively for companies and individuals.  

The Best Lawyers in Dallas selection is just the latest honor for Mr. Brauer. He has also earned recognition in Chambers USA, the Texas edition of Super Lawyers magazine and Best Lawyers in America. He also has been recognized as a Texas Legal Trailblazer by Texas Lawyer magazine. 

 Mr. Brauer has served on several key Dallas Bar Association committees and is a devoted community advocate. He is a supporter of the Readers 2 Leaders literacy program and the Great Investors’ Best Ideas Foundation, benefiting The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and the Vickery Meadow Youth Development Foundation. 

 Selection to the Best Lawyers in Dallas list is based on a comprehensive selection process that starts with peer nominations. A blue-ribbon panel evaluates the tabulated list and works with the editorial staff to select the finalists. The complete list is featured in the May 2020 edition of D Magazine and available at http://www.dmagazine.com. 

About Bailey Brauer PLLC  

Bailey Brauer PLLC is nationally recognized for its trial and appellate work and provides battle-tested, sophisticated courtroom experience in high-stakes litigation matters. The firm focuses on complex commercial litigation, appeals, and class actions. Learn more about the firm at: http://baileybrauer.com. 

Rasansky also among D Magazine’s list of Best Lawyers in Dallas for 2020

DALLAS – Trial lawyer Jeffrey Rasansky of Rasansky Law Firm in Dallas has been named one of the 500 leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers in the country for 2020 by the legal media guide Lawdragon.

In his nearly 30 years as a trial lawyer, Mr. Rasansky has successfully represented clients across the country in a wide range of catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death cases, including those impacted by vehicle crashes, medical malpractice, birth injuries and defective products. His aggressive approach to litigation has helped solidify his reputation among the leading personal injury attorneys in the country.

“Each and every day, the team at our firm helps clients through incredibly difficult times,” said Mr. Rasansky. “It is important for us to work as hard as we can to not only get our clients the justice they deserve, but also to make a positive impact on their lives.”

The Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers list is determined through research of top verdicts and settlements combined with interviews conducted with other attorneys nationwide. In these surveys, lawyers are asked whose work they admire and would hire in a personal legal matter.

In addition to his Lawdragon selection, Mr. Rasansky was recently named among D Magazine’s Best Lawyers in Dallas. Selection to the prestigious listing is based upon peer nominations. Finalists are selected after review by a blue-ribbon panel and the magazine’s editorial staff.

About Rasansky Law Firm
The Rasansky Law Firm has built a national reputation for excellence by providing quality representation and the highest level of personal service with an award-winning team of experienced attorneys. The Rasansky Law Firm is committed to making a difference in their clients’ lives and improving the safety of our community at large.

Lowenstein Sandler has announced that Mary E. Storella has joined the firm’s Life Sciences group as the group’s Vice Chair and head of Life Sciences Transactions. Mary will focus on mergers and acquisitions, early and late stage collaborations, licenses, options, co-development and co-commercialization collaborations, clinical collaborations, and diagnostic collaborations in the pharmaceutical, biotech, and other industries.

Storella has over 15 years of experience supporting strategic life sciences transactions, most recently as Vice President and Senior Counsel, Corporate Transactions, at Celgene Corporation. There she led and supported a broad spectrum of deals, including the company’s $67 billion sale to Bristol Myers Squibb, Celgene’s $13.4 billion divestiture of Otezla to Amgen, the company’s $9 billion acquisition of Juno Therapeutics, and its $300 million acquisition of Delinia, Inc.

Prior to Celgene, Storella worked as both an attorney and Executive Director of Business Development at Merck & Co. Inc., where she headed a transaction team on all aspects of licensing, partnerships, and acquisition opportunities. Representative transactions at Merck include Merck’s $14.2 billion divestiture of its consumer care business to Bayer, its $10 billion acquisition of Cubist Pharmaceuticals, and the licensing of Phase III oncology product and collaboration with Endocyte.

Storella earned her J.D from Pace University Law School and her B.A. from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C., is pleased to announce that the firm and its attorneys have been highly ranked in the 2020 edition of the Chambers USA legal industry guide.

Chambers ranked Greensfelder’s Franchising practice, along with the firm’s Franchising Officers Beata Krakus and Leonard D. Vines, as among the nation’s top leaders in franchising law.

Chambers USA also ranked Greensfelder in St. Louis for the practice areas of Litigation: General Commercial, Labor & Employment, and Real Estate. In addition, Chambers USA ranked the following Greensfelder Officers as among the top attorneys in St. Louis in their respective practice areas:

– Amy L. Blaisdell (Labor & Employment)
– Vincent J. Garozzo (Corporate/M&A)
– Jill K. Luft (Labor & Employment)
– Kevin T. McLaughlin (Labor & Employment)

“It is an honor for Greensfelder and our attorneys to be recognized again in the prestigious Chambers USA guide,” said Greensfelder President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin T. McLaughlin. “We are gratified that our clients continually commend for us for meeting and exceeding their goals in serving their legal and business needs.”

Based in Greensfelder’s Chicago office, Ms. Krakus is a member of Greensfelder’s Franchising & Distribution industry group. She works with clients across the United States and around the world, preparing franchise programs for concepts including real estate brokerages, hotels, restaurants, and fitness and personal health systems, among others. She also works with other distribution models and assists her clients in managing their distribution networks.

Based in Greensfelder’s St. Louis office and also a member of the Franchising & Distribution group, Mr. Vines has extensive experience representing national, regional and local franchisors and distributors. He has assisted start-up and established franchisors, as well as franchisees and franchisee associations. Mr. Vines also is a frequent lecturer and writer on franchise topics.

Also based in St. Louis, Ms. Blaisdell is a member of Greensfelder’s Employment & Labor practice group and leads the firm’s Health Care industry team. She has represented employers nationwide in the defense of employment and employee benefits litigation, including in the U.S. Supreme Court. She focuses her practice on highly regulated industries including health care and financial services. She is a member of the firm’s board of directors.

Mr. Garozzo is the leader of the firm’s Business Services practice group. Based in St. Louis, he has extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and tax issues. A member of Greensfelder’s board of directors, he formerly served as the firm’s president.

Based in St. Louis, Ms. Luft is the leader of the firm’s Employment & Labor practice group. She regularly defends employers in employment-related litigation in state and federal courts and provides proactive employment and human resources counseling to clients.

In addition to his role as Greensfelder’s president and CEO, Mr. McLaughlin is a member of the firm’s Employment & Labor practice group. He handles a range of employment issues including traditional labor matters, working with employers to navigate lawsuits, investigations and human resources issues. He is based in St. Louis.

Published annually and widely read by industry-leading companies and organizations across the nation, the Chambers USA guide ranks the leading U.S. firms and attorneys based on in-depth research and interviews with clients and peers. The London-based Chambers and Partners assesses attorneys on attributes most valued by clients, including technical legal ability, professional conduct, client service, commercial astuteness, diligence, and commitment. For more information, visit
https://chambers.com/guide/usa?publicationTypeId=5.

Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C., founded in 1895, is a full-service law firm with offices in St. Louis, Chicago, and Southern Illinois. Greensfelder offers comprehensive legal solutions for clients locally, nationally, and internationally. Areas of practice include business services; communications and media; construction; educational, religious and tax-exempt organizations; employee benefits; employment and labor; energy; franchising and distribution; health care; intellectual property; litigation; real estate; securities and financial services; and trusts and estates. Find out more at www.greensfelder.com.

The Virginia law firm of Gentry Locke is pleased to announce that Erin Harrigan has joined as a partner in the Criminal & Government Investigations practice.

Harrigan served as Assistant United States Attorney in the Western District of Virginia, based in Charlottesville, where she was the Lead Prosecuting Attorney for the Organized Crime & Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) and was nationally recognized for her work with the OCDETF National Director’s Award. As a federal prosecutor, Harrigan also prosecuted and investigated public corruption, regulatory offenses, human trafficking and fraud cases of local origin and involving multi-national corporations. She previously worked for the Virginia Attorney General’s office handling criminal matters in the trial and appellate courts, and focused on human trafficking and gang/organized crime.

As both a federal and state prosecutor, Harrigan is well known for her work in human trafficking. In addition to involvement in active litigation, she has been a sought after speaker and advisor in the field of human trafficking. Among many events, Harrigan spoke at American Bar Association events advising corporations how to protect themselves from being caught up in human trafficking investigations. She was invited by the Dutch government to consult at the Hague and in Amsterdam with five other countries on strategies to combat sex trafficking of children globally.

The International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) has announced that Jonathan Krisko, a shareholder at Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson, P.A., in Charlotte, N.C., has accepted an invitation to join the IADC, the preeminent invitation-only global legal organization for attorneys who represent corporate and insurance interests.

“I am honored to be offered membership in the IADC,” Mr. Krisko said. “I very much look forward to the opportunity to enhance my ability to serve my clients because of the professional and skill development IADC offers from its elite members. I also appreciate the camaraderie that comes from membership in such an outstanding group.”

Mr. Krisko represents clients in complex, business-related litigation, which has included matters involving health care, product liability, technology, and government and regulatory investigations. His experience also includes trials, arbitrations and appeals in federal and state courts.

Mr. Krisko has served on the boards of the Mecklenburg (N.C.) County Bar and the Childress Klein YMCA (Charlotte), and as a member of the North Carolina Bar Association Appellate Rules Committee, among other roles. Previously, he served as a judicial clerk to Judge Karen LeCraft Henderson of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Krisko served on active duty as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy.

Mr. Krisko received his J.D. (with high honors) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he served as the editor-in-chief of the North Carolina Law Review. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Duke University.

About the International Association of Defense Counsel
The IADC is the preeminent invitation-only global legal organization for attorneys who represent corporate and insurance interests. Founded in 1920, the IADC has members who hail from six continents, 51 countries and territories, and all 50 U.S. states. The core purposes of the IADC are to enhance the development of skills, promote professionalism, and facilitate camaraderie among its members and their clients, as well as the broader civil justice community. For more information, visit www.iadclaw.org.

Buchalter is pleased to announce and welcome new member of its Tax, Benefits, & Estate Planning Practice Group, Parisa Weiss, to its San Diego office. Weiss focuses her practice on estate planning, trust, and probate administration and litigation. She also advises businesses and individuals with diverse financial, tax, asset protection and benefit retention requirements, and prepares related documents including revocable trusts, special needs trusts, irrevocable trusts, wills, powers of attorney, and advance healthcare directives.

Named a “2019 Woman of Influence,” by the San Diego Metro Magazine, Weiss was also recognized as a “Top Business Leaders Under 40” in 2018. She was also named to “Best of the Bar” 2015-2016, by the San Diego Business Journal, and honored by the San Diego Daily Transcript as a “2014 Top Attorney.”

Weiss also advises fiduciaries and individual trustees regarding the proper administration of trusts and probates as well as beneficiaries of trusts and estates with respect to their rights. When necessary, Weiss also represents clients in estate, trust and conservatorship litigation.

The American College of Trial Lawyers: The Best of the Trial Bars

The American College of Trial Lawyers is recognized as the leading trial lawyers organization in the United States and Canada. Membership is by invitation only and is limited to only those trial lawyers who are “unquestionably and eminently qualified,” and regarded as the best in their state. Qualifications include high ethical and moral standards, as well as excellent character.

Raising the Bar – A Conversation with Fields Alexander

Why did you become a lawyer?
“Well my father was a trial lawyer and that certainly had an impact, as it was obvious to me that he loved what he did. But he never pushed me into the law. To the contrary, he always made it clear to me that trial work is something you should do only if you feel drawn to it, as it is not an easy way to make a living. Fortunately, I am drawn to it. I love advocacy. I enjoy the competition in it, and I am honored that I have the opportunity to put other people’s problems on my back and work on solving them.”

How do you feel having been elected into the American College of Trial Lawyers?
“Honored and humbled, to be quite honest with you. The talent and accomplishments of the men and women that are in the College is staggering, and I am frankly both honored and very humbled to have been invited to join their ranks. Equally important to me is the emphasis the College places on professionalism and collegiality. These are both preconditions to election, and they are traits that I take very seriously.”

What do you credit for getting you to this point in your law career?
“I have been blessed to work under a number of excellent mentors along the way. That list has to start with Judge Lee Rosenthal, with whom I worked as a judicial clerk my first year out of law school. Following that clerkship, I have been privileged to work with a number of exceptional trial lawyers, many of whom were also members of the College. These would include, among many others, Knox Nunnally, Bob Schick, Dick McCarroll, and of course David Beck.”

You are the sixth attorney from Beck Redden to be elected into the American College of Trial Lawyers. What does this say about the Firm?
“It says a lot about David Beck, the founder of our Firm. His dedication to both the craft of advocacy and to professionalism is at the forefront of everything he does. At Beck Redden certain things are non-negotiable. We are to always put forth our very best effort for our clients, and to do so without sacrificing an ounce of professionalism in our dealings with opposing counsel, their clients, and of course the courts.”

Read more about Fields Alexander.

Gregory Chin has joined Duane Morris LLP as a partner in the firm’s Corporate Practice Group in its San Francisco office. Prior to joining Duane Morris, Chin was a partner at Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.

Chin, who was a partner at Latham & Watkins, LLP and Jones Day before joining Mintz Levin, has 20 years of experience representing public and private companies in complex transactional, general corporate and securities disclosure matters. He focuses his practice on emerging growth industries, including innovative media, software, cannabis, energy and sustainability, life sciences and digital health. Chin has represented public and private targets and acquirers in mergers and acquisitions valued from under $1 million to more than $1 billion; represented both issuers and investors in hundreds of venture capital financings valued from under $1 million to several hundred million dollars; and represented both issuers and underwriters in public offerings. He regularly serves as outside general counsel, advising startups and emerging growth companies on their business plans as well as company formation issues, and counseling public companies with regard to disclosure obligations and SEC compliance issues.

Chin is a graduate of Harvard Law School (J.D., cum laude, 1999) and Yale University (B.A., 1993).

In Thryv, Inc. v. Click-to-Call Technologies, the Supreme Court held that the Patent Office’s decision on the timeliness of a petition to challenge a patent is not appealable. This opinion is one of several recent decisions by the Supreme Court on the interpretation of the America Invents Act, and demonstrates a clear difference in opinion on the proper role of the judiciary in reviewing Patent Office decisions.

The America Invents Act created a new mechanism for challenging patents in the Patent Office called inter partes review (IPR). A person challenging a patent using the IPR procedure is required to file a petition with the Patent Office within one year of the service of a complaint for patent infringement upon that person. The Patent Office then decides whether to accept the petition, including whether the petition was timely filed. The Supreme Court’s decision in Thryv held that a party could not appeal the Patent Office’s decision on whether the IPR petition was filed after the one-year time limit.
Patent owner Click-to-Call Technologies (CTC) filed a patent infringement suit against Thryv related to technology for anonymous telephone calls. Thryv challenged the validity of the patent in the Patent Office by filing a petition for IPR. Despite a prior litigation between the parties in 2001, the Patent Office decided to institute the IPR over a decade later and found that thirteen of the patent’s claims were invalid. In doing so, the Patent Office concluded that the one-year limitation on filing a petition was not triggered because the complaint in the prior 2001 litigation was dismissed without prejudice.

CTC appealed the Patent Office’s decision to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which held that judicial review of the Patent Office’s holding was not available because Section 314 of the America Invents Act states that the decision to institute is “final and nonappealable.” However, in subsequent cases, the Federal Circuit held that the one-year limitation of Section 315(b) was appealable irrespective of Section 314’s restriction on appeals. Inconsistencies between these decisions, and conflicting interpretations of the America Invents Act, prompted Supreme Court review.

The Supreme Court held that Section 314 of the America Invents Act prevents an appeal of the Patent Office’s decision on whether a petition was timely filed. In the majority opinion, Justice Ginsburg explained that earlier Supreme Court precedent in Cuozzo Speed Technologies, LLC v. Lee held that questions regarding the Patent Office’s decision to institute an IPR is “final and nonappealable,” including decisions that “are closely tied to the application and interpretation of statutes related to the Patent Office’s decision to initiate inter parties review.” Finding that the America Invent Act’s time limitation in Section 315(b) is “integral to, indeed a condition on, institution,” the majority held that the Patent Office’s decision on whether a petition was timely filed is not appealable.

The Supreme Court examined Congress’ statutory intent in providing for IPRs, and noted that deference to institution decisions, including limiting appeals, promotes the Patent Office’s focus on substantive review of questionable patents, rather than procedural questions. Because the Patent Office’s decision is unappealable, the Supreme Court did not address whether the Patent Office correctly decided to institute an IPR in this case, leaving unresolved whether a complaint dismissed without prejudice triggers the one-year limitation for filing an IPR petition.

In a fiery dissent, Justice Gorsuch offered a different interpretation of the America Invents Act and prior precedent, concluding that they do not prevent appeals of a Patent Office decision on whether a petition for IPR is timely. According to Justice Gorsuch, the plain text of Section 314 does not limit judicial review of the Patent Office’s decision on the timeliness of petitions. The Supreme Court, in his view, should allow patent owners to have their day in court, and should not leave “the disposition of private rights and liberties to bureaucratic mercy.”

Craig Smith is a partner at intellectual property law firm, Lando & Anastasi, LLP located in Boston, MA. He can be reached at csmith@lalaw.com or 617-395-7000. Peter Evangelatos is an associate at Lando & Anastasi, LLP. He can be reached at pevangelatos@lalaw.com or 617-395-7000.