Patent Law

The following is excerpted from an article by Zusha Elinson appearing in the September 1, 2009 issue of The Recorder:

After losing a number of key partners in recent weeks, Cooley Godward Kronish is picking up three IP litigators from White & Case.

Palo Alto, Calif., partners Heidi Keefe, Mark Weinstein and Mark Lambert joined Cooley Monday. The three represent clients like Facebook, Cisco Systems and HTC Corp. in patent cases.

The additions come shortly after seven well-known Cooley partners hit the exits. The departures started when M&A stars Keith Flaum and Richard Climan left for Dewey & LeBoeuf in July.

The White & Case lawyers became acquainted with Cooley because the two firms are both doing IP cases for Facebook, the lawyers said. Keefe and Weinstein are defending the social networking site in a patent infringement lawsuit filed by Cross Atlantic Partners. Cooley handled a class action over privacy concerns at Facebook.

Cooley hasn't been known for its IP litigation practice since a group of IP litigators led by Lloyd "Rusty" Day [a client of mine when he was still at Cooley] left to start their own firm more than 10 years ago. But Rhodes said the firm has built up the practice to about 100 lawyers and has recently handled work for the likes of Qualcomm Inc. The firm also does a lot of work for patent-holding companies or "patent trolls" like Acacia Technologies and Ronald A. Katz Technology Licensing.

Read the full article here.