[April 10, 2013]

Bingham Significantly Expands IP Practice With Addition of 5-Partner Group in Southern California

Bingham McCutchen LLP has significantly expanded its global intellectual property, litigation and life sciences strength with the addition of five partners to its Intellectual Property Practice Group and Litigation Area.

Richard de Bodo, Siegmund Gutman, Andrew Devkar, Olga Berson and Bruce Kuyper join Bingham from DLA Piper. De Bodo, co-chair of DLA Piper's Patent Litigation and Life Sciences practices, will serve as co-chair of Bingham's Intellectual Property and Life Sciences practice groups. The group brings a patent litigation and counseling practice that includes pharmaceuticals, biologics, biotechnology, electronics, software and Internet technologies, with strong industry connections in the U.S. and Japan.

"Rich, Siegmund, Andrew, Olga and Bruce comprise a nationally known, first-tier patent litigation team that will immediately enhance our IP, life sciences and technology capabilities in California, throughout the United States and globally," said Bingham Chairman Jay Zimmerman. "Their cutting-edge patent litigation practice perfectly complements our existing IP practice as well as our Japan practice, which includes more than 70 lawyers in Tokyo. It's a strong and ideal fit."

The addition of this team underscores Bingham's commitment to strategic growth in all aspects of the IP, technology and life sciences space. Last month, Bingham added three lawyers to the Corporate Practice Group in Silicon Valley: partners James Chapman and Michael DiSanto and of counsel Stephen Clinton, all of whom have significant experience in technology, life sciences, clean technology and emerging markets.

Geoff Howard, co-chair of Bingham's Litigation Area, noted the group's international reutation in life sciences and electronics patent litigation and highlighted its relevance in the industry today. Recent legislation on biologics creates the potential for new legal issues and litigation for clients, and this group is uniquely qualified to address those issues, many of which are issues of first impression. The group's Japan practice also provides synergy with Bingham's existing strength in Tokyo and Asia generally, explained Howard.

"Rich is one of the pre-eminent patent trial lawyers and litigators in the country, and he and his team will allow us to help clients protect their innovations, intellectual assets and technology in a global marketplace," Howard said.

Bingham's excellence and strong tradition in litigation, IP and life sciences; its substantial Japan presence and practice; and its strategic vision and leadership were key factors for the five partners in joining the firm, said de Bodo.

"We were extremely impressed with Bingham," said de Bodo, who litigates patent and trade secret disputes relating to pharmaceuticals, biologics, biotechnology, electronics, software and Internet technology before trial and appellate courts, arbitration panels and the International Trade Commission (ITC). "It's a well-run firm that is very strategic in its approach. We feel our biologics and electronics practice will develop and grow at Bingham, and our clients will be very well served. Our Japanese clients will benefit enormously from Bingham's outstanding Japanese office and practice. We look forward to working with our new colleagues."

Gutman is an accomplished patent litigator with a graduate degree in molecular and cell biology and significant experience in biologics and Hatch-Waxman cases. His practice focuses on developing and executing market exclusivity and freedom-to-operate strategies for biologics, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology clients. He has more than 20 years of industry experience, including as senior patent litigation counsel for Amgen. He is a frequent speaker on biologics and Hatch-Waxman strategy issues and has authored numerous articles.

Devkar has a computer science background and has litigated patent cases across a wide range of industries, including Internet technologies, wireless and networking technologies, digital camera design and operation, semiconductors, printer technologies, image sensors, and a broad range of other consumer electronics and software.

Berson is a registered patent attorney with a Ph.D. in chemistry and environmental science who has litigated patent cases relating to life sciences, pharmaceuticals and chemicals, including district court cases and Section 337 actions before the ITC.

Kuyper is an electrical engineer and has extensive experience in intellectual property litigation, principally patent infringement litigation relating to electronics, semiconductors, and wireless technologies.

Offering a broad range of market-leading practices focused on global companies, Bingham, www.bingham.com, has approximately 1,000 lawyers in 14 offices in the U.S., Europe and Asia. Follow the firm on Twitter (News - Alert) @BinghamLaw.

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