New York, NY, May 13, 2004 – LAWFUEL – Baker & McKenzie lawyers Grant Hanessian, Joseph Samet and Michael Stoker of the Firm’s New York office have been named recipients of the prestigious Burton Award for Legal Achievement. The award, honoring excellence in legal writing for their co-authored article entitled “Intellectual Property Licenses, Arbitration and Bankruptcy: Avoiding the Tangled Web” will be presented in the Great Hall of the Library of Congress on June 14 at 5:45 p.m. Paula Zahn, CNN host and moderator, will be a guest speaker at the event.
Their winning article examines the interplay between arbitration and bankruptcy law, including with respect to determining certain intellectual property rights. It explores the rights and options available to a licensee engaged in an arbitral dispute with a licensor that is, or may soon be insolvent. It also covers special protections available to licensees in the bankruptcy of a licensor. The article was published in the Practising Law Institute’s “Emerging Issues in Workouts & Bankruptcies 2003, “What you Need to Know Now” program book. Joseph Samet chaired the program.
“The article provides guidance in negotiating and drafting intellectual property license agreements that will protect IP license holders in the event that the licensor files a bankruptcy or reorganization petition in the United States,” said Samet, Co-chair of Baker & McKenzie’s North American Financial Restructuring, Creditors’ Rights and Bankruptcy Practice Group. “With the prevalence of arbitration provisions in technology agreements, this is a topic of great interest to our clients. It’s an honor for each of us to be recognized for this award.“
The Burton Awards are dedicated to the refinement and enrichment of writing in the legal profession. The program honors approximately twenty articles from lawyers in the nation’s five hundred largest law firms, and ten law school students from all participating law schools across the US. The submissions, nominated by managing partners of law firms and law school deans, include articles published over the past year and are judged by an academic board consisting of noted academicians, a member of the judiciary, and a legal-writing scholar who is a direct descendant of Noah Webster.
Grant Hanessian is a Partner in Baker & McKenzie’s Litigation Practice and represents domestic and foreign companies, governmental entities and individuals in a wide range of commercial disputes, including intellectual property, securities, banking, construction, commodities, insurance and other matters.
Joseph Samet is a Partner and co-chair of Baker & McKenzie’s North American Financial Restructuring, Creditors’ Rights and Bankruptcy Practice Group. He is also head of the Creditors’ Rights/Bankruptcy Practice in the New York office. Since 1975, he has focused his work on national and international workouts, chapter 11 reorganizations, and bankruptcy practice, including work on cross-border issues and section 304 ancillary proceedings.
Michael Stoker is an Associate in the Firm’s Litigation Practice. He focuses his practice on international arbitration and intellectual property disputes. He has assisted in the representation of clients in various Federal and State courts, and in arbitrations before the American Arbitration Association, NASD, and in ad hoc arbitrations.
