Crowell & Moring's IP Litigation Practice Expands on Both Coasts with Four Pharmaceutical Attorneys

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Jan 30, 2012, 10:58 ET

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Crowell & Moring LLP is pleased to announce the addition of four attorneys to the firm's Intellectual Property Group to grow its work in the generic pharmaceutical patent arena. The team includes partner Mark T. Jansen of San Francisco and partner Cedric C.Y. Tan, senior counsel Neil M. McCarthy, and counsel Kristin M. Cooklin of Washington, D.C. The highly esteemed team of litigators and IP counselors join from Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP, with the exception of McCarthy, who joins from private practice. All were formerly attorneys at Townsend and Townsend and Crew.

The four seasoned lawyers represent generic pharmaceutical makers and other clients in a range of patent disputes and counseling matters arising under the Hatch-Waxman Amendments to the Federal Food Drug & Cosmetic Act ("the Hatch-Waxman Act"), and in other trade secret, trademark, copyright, and unfair competition matters.

"Both collectively and individually, our new attorneys have achieved substantial success in high-stakes patent disputes over the years and have carved out a niche representing generic pharmaceutical manufacturers. They have been trusted counselors to some of the world's leading generic pharmaceutical companies when they are faced with difficult patent issues," said Crowell & Moring partner Mark Supko, chair of the firm's Intellectual Property Group. "These four are oka bi-coastal team in Washington, D.C. and San Francisco, and they will help to further bolster the firm's ability to bridge geographical gaps to better serve our clients."

The team's clients have included makers of oral contraceptive products, medicines that treat narcolepsy and epilepsy, and a wide range of other industrial manufacturers. Their arrival comes on the heels of the addition of pharmaceutical litigator James K. Stronski, who joined the New York office as a partner in May 2011.

An established trial and appellate attorney, Jansen has 25 years of litigation experience. His case work includes significant patent litigation, including for generic drug makers under the Hatch-Waxman Act governing Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDA), and a number of pharmaceutical and chemistry patent and trade secret cases at the U.S. International Trade Commission and other venues. He also provides counseling in the intellectual property, antitrust, and unfair business practices fields, in a wide range of contexts, and has represented clients in connection with grand jury and other government investigations and as well as in appellate court matters. Jansen received his undergraduate degree in chemistry and his law degree from the University of California.

Jansen said, "Crowell & Moring is a pre-eminent intellectual property firm that has proven itself in the courtroom for many of the country's leading corporations. We are very pleased to be joining such an esteemed group of talented litigators and technical professionals, and we are looking forward to further strengthening the group's work for generic pharmaceutical companies."

Tan focuses his practice on IP litigation, and in particular patent litigation for clients in the pharmaceutical, biotech, and chemical fields. A primary focus of his practice, in which he has successfully litigated numerous cases, is representing generic drug manufacturers in Hatch-Waxman patent litigation matters. He is highly experienced in all aspects of patent litigation, from pre-suit investigations through trial and appeal. Tan also has significant experience providing clients with pre-litigation counseling, including opinions on the validity, infringement, and enforceability of patents. His other experience extends to copyright, trademark, trade secret and other types of intellectual property litigation, in addition to general commercial litigation and counseling. Tan received his undergraduate degree in Honors Biochemistry from the University of Alberta and his law degree from the Tulane University School of Law.

McCarthy brings more than 25 years of patent law experience, including providing patent infringement and validity opinions focusing primarily on pharmaceuticals; conducting due diligence and patent landscape analyses; counseling in pharmaceutical litigation arising under the Hatch-Waxman Act; preparing and prosecuting patent applications in the chemical, medical device and pharmaceuticals areas; and, participating in inter partes interferences. He began his patent law career as a patent examiner at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, where he served as Primary Examiner in the plastics molding and water purification technologies. McCarthy received his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from the University of Michigan and his law degree from the American University Washington College of Law.

Cooklin has extensive patent litigation experience with an emphasis on Hatch-Waxman Act pharmaceutical patent litigation matters. She received both her undergraduate degree in Microbiology and Biochemistry and her law degree from Duquesne University.

Crowell & Moring LLP is an international law firm with nearly 500 lawyers representing clients in litigation and arbitration, regulatory, and transactional matters. The firm is internationally recognized for its representation of Fortune 500 companies in high-stakes litigation, as well as its ongoing commitment to pro bono service and diversity. The firm has offices in Washington, DC, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orange County, Anchorage, London, and Brussels. Visit Crowell & Moring online at www.crowell.com.

Contact: Stephanie Holtzman
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(240) 381-5382

SOURCE Crowell & Moring LLP