Austin— LawFuel – K&L Gates LLP welcomes Mary Schaerdel Dietz and Roderick (Rick) B. Williams as partners in the firm’s Austin office. Dietz, a member of the commercial litigation practice, joins K&L Gates from Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P., while Williams joins the firm’s intellectual property litigation practice from Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.
A former director of the Austin Bar Association and the current president of the American Board of Trial Advocates’ Austin chapter, Dietz focuses her practice on commercial and business litigation, including contract, construction and administrative law, Deceptive Trade Practices Act matters, records management solutions, e-discovery matters and white collar crime investigations. She has counseled clients across a variety of sectors, including banking, consumer products, insurance, construction, electronics, real estate, and energy.
An experienced litigator, Williams has represented clients in patent litigation in both jury and bench trials, Markman hearings, preliminary injunction hearings and proceedings before the International Trade Commission. He has successfully handled patent litigation in the mechanical, medical device, electrical, semiconductor, software, business method, and biotechnology industries, among others.
“We are delighted that Mary and Rick are joining K&L Gates as we expand our Austin office and provide a bridge to the 21st century global economy,” said Jack M. Erskine, Administrative Partner of K&L Gates’ Austin office.
“Mary’s professional expertise and her profile in the Austin business community will significantly bolster the firm’s practice and presence in the capital of Texas,” said Peter J. Kalis, K&L Gates Chairman and Global Managing Partner. “She will add an important new dimension to the firmwide litigation practice.”
Kalis continued: “K&L Gates’ intellectual property litigation group is an evident strength of this law firm, and with Rick’s arrival we add to that strength in Texas and firmwide.”
