Andrews Kurth Adds Experienced Attorneys, Patent Agents to Intellectual Property Group

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Andrews Kurth LLP is pleased to announce the addition of two attorneys and two Patent Agents in the firm's Washington, DC office.

Dr. Ping Wang joins the firm as a Partner and Robert A. Gutkin joins as Counsel in the Intellectual Property practice group. Additionally, Patent Agents Dr. Petr VanderVegt and Dr. Eggerton Campbell have joined the firm.

Dr. Wang concentrates her practice on patent prosecution, patent interference and patent litigation in the fields of pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, chemical/organic chemistry and medical devices. She also counsels clients on issues of patentability, non-infringement, freedom-to-operate, validity, design around and due diligence work in connection with mergers and acquisitions in the biotechnology industry.

With more than 10 years of experience in the fields of molecular biology, immunology, neuroscience and cancer research, Dr. Wang has received the Eliot Stellar Award from the Philadelphia Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience and the Lapides Award from the American Urological Society. She has published numerous research articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Dr. Wang earned her J.D. in 1999 from Franklin Pierce Law Center, and her M.D. from Kunming Medical College in 1986.

Bob Gutkin is a litigator and trial attorney with more than 25 years of experience. His patent litigation practice includes technologies as diverse as medical devices, cellular technology, networking technology, fiber optics, catalytic converters and smart card manufacturing. Bob also regularly represents clients on matters involving trademark, copyright and unfair competition cases.

Mr. Gutkin also represents clients in complex commercial litigation and he has represented in proceedings before the Senate Committee on Banking and the House of Representatives Committee on Government Reform. He has served as an instructor for the National Institute for Trial Advocacy, and on the Discovery Committee for the Intellectual Property Owners Association. Bob earned his J.D. in 1985 from the University of California, Davis School of Law, his M.A. from the University of Chicago in 1982, and his B.A., cum laude, from Brandeis University in 1980.

"Ping and Bob are tremendous additions to our team of attorneys," said Jeff Dodd, Partner at Andrews Kurth. "Their breadth of experience and expertise will enhance our already strong Intellectual Property group."

Dr. VanderVegt has been a registered Patent Agent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office since 2001. He assists in patent prosecution before the USPTO, formulating responses in international prosecution and drafting patent applications. He previously served as a Patent Examiner at the USPTO for 12 years, where his work focused on cellular and humoral immunology.

Dr. Campbell assists in preparing and prosecuting patent applications in a wide variety of biotech areas, including pharmaceutical compounds, nucleic acid assays, recombinant immunogens from infectious organisms, and medical devices. Dr. Campbell previously served as a USPTO Primary Patent Examiner, where he allowed 400 patent applications relating to nucleic acid detection via hybridization, nucleic acid amplification (PCR), detection of tumors/cancer via mutations, recombinant polypeptides, human genes and bioinformatics.

"We are delighted that this group has joined the firm," said Shemin Proctor, Managing Partner of the Washington, DC office. "Their extensive, real-world experience adds depth to the service we provide our clients in this rapidly expanding practice area."

About the Andrews Kurth Intellectual Property Practice Group

Andrews Kurth's team of nearly 30 intellectual property litigators and trial lawyers applies its advanced degrees, experience in various technical disciplines, and trial, litigation and appellate experience to complex patent, copyright, trademark and trade secret litigation. These qualifications, combined with our broad experience before state courts, government agencies, key federal jurisdictions and international forums, make us well-suited to handle intellectual property litigation regardless of complexity or jurisdiction.

About Andrews Kurth LLP

For more than a century, Andrews Kurth has built its practice on the belief that "straight talk is good business." Real answers, clear vision and mutual respect define the firm's relationships with clients, colleagues, communities and employees. With 400 lawyers and offices in Austin, Beijing, Dallas, Houston, London, New York, The Woodlands and Washington, DC, Andrews Kurth represents a wide array of clients in multiple industries. For more information about Andrews Kurth, please visit andrewskurth.com.

SOURCE Andrews Kurth LLP