Team of Attorneys Strengthens Firm’s National Focus on
Life Sciences & High-Tech Industries
CHICAGO – LAWFUEL – Legal News Network – Foley & Lardner LLP announced today the addition of five attorneys to the Intellectual Property (IP) Department in the Chicago office. The new attorneys are Steve Z. Szczepanski, Mary Jo Boldingh, Katherine L. Tabor, Scott R. Kaspar and Glen J. Gesicki.
“The addition of this accomplished team of attorneys will support our strategic plan to further enhance our highly-ranked counseling and patent litigation practices both in Chicago and nationally,” said Sharon R. Barner, chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property Department. “The combined experience of these attorneys will expand our litigation and counseling capabilities in several key growth areas for the department, including the life sciences industry, particularly with pharmaceutical and medical device companies, as well as the high-tech/wireless technology industry.”
Steve Z. Szczepanski is a partner and a member of the firm’s IP Litigation and Chemical & Pharmaceutical Practices and its Life Sciences Industry Team. His intellectual property practice focuses on complex patent litigations with cases tried throughout the country. He is involved in developing corporate strategy for protecting intellectual property, right-to-use infringement and validity opinions, and in supervising preparation and prosecution of patent applications to enhance enforceability. Szczepanski earned his juris doctorate from Albany Law School of Union University, and both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Prior to joining Foley, he was a partner in the IP Department and Chicago office of Kelley, Drye & Warren LLP.
Mary Jo Boldingh joins the firm as a special counsel in the IP Litigation Practice. She focuses on intellectual property litigation and counseling, including developing litigation, trial and settlement negotiation strategy. She has experience prosecuting patent applications in the chemical area, including applications relating to catalysts, metal oxide absorbents, polymers and biotech processes. Boldingh earned a juris doctorate (with honors) from IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, a master’s degree in chemistry from Northwestern University and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Loyola University of Chicago.
Katherine L. Tabor joins Foley as senior counsel in the IP Litigation Practice. She focuses on trademark, patent, Internet, unfair competition and trade secret litigation. She also has significant experience preparing and prosecuting U.S. and foreign trademark applications and patent applications in the chemical and mechanical arts. She also has developed and maintained patent portfolios for several multi-million dollar companies. Tabor earned her juris doctorate (with high distinction) from Valparaiso University School of Law and her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Southern California.
Scott R. Kaspar is an associate in the IP Litigation Practice. He has experience drafting non-infringement and right-to-use opinions, preparing U.S. and foreign patent and trademark applications and amendments, and litigating patent infringement actions. Kaspar received his juris doctorate from Drake University Law School and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana.
Glen J. Gesicki is an associate in the Chemical & Pharmaceutical Practice. He has prepared and prosecuted U.S. and foreign patent applications in the pharmaceutical and communications fields and has participated in noninfringement, invalidity and freedom to operate opinions. Gesicki earned his juris doctorate (summa cum laude) with a certificate in patents from DePaul University College of Law, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Boldingh, Tabor, Gesicki and Kaspar also previously practiced in the Chicago office of Kelley, Drye & Warren LLP.
Foley’s patent litigation practice is consistently recognized as a top 10 practice by intellectual property trade publications, including IP Law & Business, IP Law360 and Managing Intellectual Property. The firm was recently ranked as a top 3 practice by IP Law & Business in its annual survey of patent litigation practices.
Foley & Lardner LLP provides the full range of corporate legal counsel. Our attorneys understand today’s most complex business issues, including corporate governance, securities enforcement, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property counseling and litigation, outsourcing and information technology, labor and employment, and tax. The firm offers total solutions in the automotive, emerging technologies, energy, entertainment and media, financial services, food, golf and resort services, insurance, health care, life sciences, nanotechnology, and sports industries.
