Philadelphia, Pa. – April 28, 2005 – LAWFUEL – The Law News Network – Pepper Hamilton LLP announced that M. Kelly Tillery, a national authority in intellectual property and anti-counterfeiting protection, will join the firm on May 1 as a partner in the Intellectual Property Practice Group in Philadelphia.
“Kelly focuses his practice on IP litigation, and he is nationally known for his work in anti-counterfeiting actions, especially injunctions,” said Robert E. Heideck, Pepper’s executive partner. “His practice will integrate seamlessly with our current trademark and copyright enforcement work, and with our patent practice. We’re delighted to welcome him to Pepper.”
Mr. Tillery has long been in the forefront of obtaining individual, national and facility injunctions to protect the trademarks and copyrights of performing artists as well as major software, novelty, jewelry and designer manufacturers from around the world. He also has extensive experience in commercial litigation.
Mr. Tillery joins Pepper from Leonard, Tillery & Sciolla, LLP in Philadelphia, a firm he co-founded in 1982, and in which he was a senior partner and chair of its Intellectual Property and E-Commerce Group.
“Pepper is a great fit for my clients and me,” said Mr. Tillery. “The firm’s IP and patent depth was a real lure, and when combined with its overall strength in litigation and its broad scope of other resources, it just seemed natural to make the switch. I have a great deal of respect for my colleagues at Leonard, Tillery & Sciolla, and I feel privileged to have practiced with them for the past 23 years. I will miss them, but I am extremely excited about what lies ahead here at Pepper.”
Mr. Tillery is an arbitrator of domain name and other intellectual property disputes for the National Arbitration Forum (Minneapolis, Minnesota).
He has written numerous articles and frequently lectures on issues involving the protection of intellectual property and electronic commerce.
Mr. Tillery is a member of the intellectual property law committees of the Pennsylvania and Philadelphia bar associations, and a member of the American Bar Association’s Section on Patent, Trademark and Copyright Law. He is a member of the Philadelphia Intellectual Property Law Association, and a proctor in admiralty with the Maritime Law Association. He is a member of the Copyright Society of the U.S.A., Philadelphia Chapter, and a past member of the board of directors of the International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition. He is a senior adviser to the Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts.
Active in civic affairs, he was a member of the Rendell for Governor finance committee in 2001-03, and he has been involved in a number of capacities with other political campaigns and administrations. He is a charter member of the Carper Senate Roundtable.
Mr. Tillery received his undergraduate degree with high honors from Swarthmore College in 1976, and his law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1979. He is a member of the Pennsylvania bar.
Pepper’s Intellectual Property Practice Group is an interdisciplinary team that procures intellectual property rights, and litigates or otherwise resolves intellectual property problems. Firm lawyers are capable and experienced in all intellectual property areas, including patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secret protection, unfair competition, false advertising, and defamation, publicity and privacy issues. They also handle computer and biotech-related transactions and litigation, telecommunications, domestic and international technology transfer, author/publisher relations and U.S. government proprietary rights regulation.
Pepper Hamilton LLP (www.pepperlaw.com) is a multi-practice law firm with 400 lawyers in six states and the District of Columbia. The firm provides corporate, litigation and regulatory legal services to leading businesses, governmental entities, nonprofit organizations and individuals throughout the nation and the world. The firm was founded in 1890.
