WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 20, 2005) – LAWFUEL – The Law News Network – Bingham McCutchen LLP has expanded its intellectual property practice in Washington, D.C. with the addition of partners R. Danny Huntington, B. Jefferson Boggs, Jr., Sharon E. Crane, Ph.D., and Malcolm K. McGowan, Ph.D., all from IP boutique Burns, Doane, Swecker & Mathis LLP. The four-partner team concentrates in patent interferences — when two or more parties claim the identical or substantially identical inventions — and related patent litigation.
The addition of Huntington, Boggs, Crane and McGowan underscores Bingham McCutchen’s strategy of building its IP strength on both U.S. coasts. The firm currently has 90 attorneys who practice law across a broad range of IP specialties, including patent litigation, copyright, trademark, trade dress, and trade secrets litigation, patent prosecution, licensing and technology transactions.
“Danny Huntington is one of the country’s leading IP lawyers, and an internationally acknowledged expert in the area of patent interference law,” said Christopher Hockett, deputy chair of the firm’s Litigation Area. “This group of highly talented lawyers, led by Danny, will bring important IP capabilities to our Washington office, and their arrival represents a significant step forward in the continued expansion of our IP practice.”
“Last year the firm added to its ranks in DC partners Gary Hnath and Dr. Fei-Fei Chao, both highly experienced patent litigators and International Trade Commission practitioners,” added Hockett. “Now we are building on that foundation by adding new depth and expertise, specifically a world-class patent interference practice and significant new technical expertise to allow us better to serve our clients in all types of patent disputes — particularly in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. The fit between this group’s patent interference practice and the firm’s already-strong patent litigation capabilities is particularly attractive because one practice often generates work for the other.”
According to Huntington, there were a number of reasons he and his team decided to join Bingham McCutchen, including the firm’s national platform, its strength in litigation, and its reputation for strong and decisive firm management. “When you are involved in patent interferences, it’s critical that you have the back-up resources of a strong IP litigation practice,” Huntington said. “Bingham McCutchen is known for its strength in litigation, and it has a strong presence in California, where a lot of patent interference work arises. In addition, the firm is extremely well managed, and the culture is a perfect fit.”
Huntington has served three terms as chairman of Burns Doane and has been involved in more than 200 patent interferences over the last 25 years. His current practice has been handling approximately 10% of all pending interferences at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). He has been counsel in numerous well-known interference decisions representing clients such as Abbott, Genentech, Eli Lilly, and Nike. In addition to his experience with patent interferences, his practice also extends to other aspects of intellectual property law, including patent prosecution, litigation and licensing. He is a past chair of the interference committees of the American Intellectual Property Law Association and the American Bar Association, and is currently vice president of Federation Internationale des Conseils en Propriete Industrielle (FICPI), an international organization consisting of almost 4,000 intellectual property professionals in private practice in 80 countries. He is 1972 graduate of Indiana University (B.S. Chemistry) and a 1976 graduate of George Washington University Law School.
Jeff Boggs, who also served three terms on the Burns Doane Executive Committee, is an intellectual property litigator, having worked extensively on patent litigation and patent interference matters before federal district courts nationwide, and before the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences. He also counsels clients on patentability, patent validity, and patent infringement matters, and is an accomplished patent prosecutor. Boggs is a former patent examiner at the USPTO, with responsibility for applications directed to chemical, electrochemical, and chemical engineering technologies. He is 1982 graduate of the University of Kansas (B. S. Chemical Engineering) and a 1988 graduate of George Washington University Law School.
Dr. Sharon Crane has substantial experience in preparing and prosecuting patent applications in the biotechnology and chemical arts, and devotes a substantial percentage of her time to patent interference practice. She has experience in patent litigation in the federal courts, and patent appeals at the USPTO Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences. She has also participated in and managed patent interference appeals at the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Dr. Crane is a 1984 graduate of The Johns Hopkins University (B.A. Behavioral Biology), and received her Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Genetics from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 1990. She graduated in 1994 from George Washington University Law School.
Dr. Malcolm McGowan is experienced in all aspects of intellectual property law, particularly in relation to biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. His scientific experience is in neuropharmacology and neurophysiology and his practice focuses primarily on patent interferences and patent litigation in federal courts. Dr. McGowan is also experienced in preparing and prosecuting patent applications in the biotechnology and chemical arts. He is a 1984 graduate of The Johns Hopkins University, and received his Ph.D. in 1991 from the University of Chicago. He graduated from Georgetown University Law School in 1998.
Bingham McCutchen has more than 850 lawyers in 11 offices. The firm serves clients involved in complex financial transactions, a full range of corporate and technology matters, and high-stakes litigation.
