Intellectual Property: New Jersey

THE FIRM Lerner David is widely held as New Jersey's preeminent IP practice and maintains its position as a leader for work on a regional as well as national level. The top-drawer team focuses exclusively on IP and provides the full range of counseling and litigation services, particularly in the areas of patent protection and IP asset management. Its client roster features companies from a range of industries including manufacturing, retail, electronics and life sciences.

Sources say: "We feel like we are working with team players. Ideas, communications and strategies are exchanged freely." 

KEY INDIVIDUALS Described as "one of the deans of IP in New Jersey," Joseph Littenberg helps his clients plan, protect and strengthen their patent portfolios by providing a range of advice from licensing to litigation.

Managing Partner William Mentlik is a "good, strategic, objective planner" who handles patent litigation across a broad range of technical disciplines, with a particular focus on pharmaceutical patent litigation. 

Bruce Sales is described as a "standout guy" who "understands the law and provides strong guidance for clients." He is well respected for his knowledge of IP issues within a transactional context.

Shawn Foley continues to be regarded as a leading attorney in the state and represents Fortune 500 businesses, Universities, and startups in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries.

Charles Kennedy's expertise spans the gamut of intellectual property advice. He is highly regarded as a leading IP litigator and is well liked by peers.

Stephen Roth specializes in IP litigation, frequently acting as lead counsel on clients' contentious matters. Roth is widely lauded among his peers, who are particularly impressed with his IP litigation workload.  

THE FIRM Gibbons continues to cement its position as one of the go-to full-service firms in New Jersey. Representing a broad range of Fortune 500 and midmarket businesses, and with offices also in New York, Philadelphia and Delaware, the firm is well positioned to provide integrated and streamlined business advice. The firm's 35-strong IP team is particularly active in the areas of patent, trademark and trade secrets disputes. The team has seen an increase in contentious matters in the past year, and also handled a substantial amount of work pertaining to patent due diligence.  

Sources say: "We are very satisfied with the services they provide and we've been very successful with them." 

KEY INDIVIDUALS David De Lorenzi chairs the firm's IP department and is well known in the market for his contentious IP practice, particularly in patent litigation. He recently represented key client Hoffmann-La Roche is several matters, including the defense of infringement and validity challenges for the patent covering the active ingredient of Valcyte.

Sheila McShane has made a name for herself in the area of patent litigation, particularly in the representation of pharmaceutical companies. She is also considered by sources to be a specialist in ANDA litigation and drug patent protection.

THE FIRM Lowenstein's IP team is noted for its strength in complex patent litigation, technology and software licensing, and large-scale transactional IP issues. The New Jersey team is particularly active in the representation of leading technology companies in the IT and medical sectors. It recently represented Investor Growth Capital, along with other investors, in its $105 million investment in Trilliant, which required extensive IP diligence. Sources are quick to commend the uniformly high quality of its lawyers.

Sources say: "They are a really excellent team."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Mary Hildebrand "gives useful, pragmatic, practical advice: stuff you can really use. She isn't a partner who looks to hedge or caution advice and she's not afraid to help you come to a decision." Hildebrand advises technology companies in the management and exploitation of their IP assets through planning and licensing.

Mark Kesslen chairs the firm's IP group and focuses on patent protection and litigation. Kesslen also advises on IP matters in corporate transactions and investments for startups and established technology and new media organizations. One client enthuses: "He is one of the best lawyers I have worked with. He has the ability to get complicated deals done."

Sources applaud Robert Paradiso, noting he has the ability to "spin gold out of hay." He is "very smart, easy to deal with and a practical strategic thinker," and also lauded for his "knowledge, attention to detail and communication skills." 

THE FIRM The New Jersey-based intellectual property team at McCarter & English has demonstrated an impressive level of patent litigation prowess and commitment over the past twelve months. While it delivers a full range of IP services to clients, its main strengths remain in the protection of patent portfolios and in the pursuit of infringements, particularly in the pharmaceutical sector. The team recently represented ASICS Corporation and Princeton University among others.

Sources say: "The firm has excellent legal knowledge. They have wonderful client care, are easy to reach, prompt with responses, clear and concise."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Scott Christie is lauded as a "skilled expert in patent law and a very likable and kind person." "He is an extremely intelligent and tenacious adviser and litigator in tech issues and privacy laws." His forte is in the commercialization of copyrights, patents and trademarks.

Trademark specialist Robert Smith advises national and international businesses in the protection and enforcement of trademark portfolios and is a seasoned IP trial attorney. His thoroughness and proficiency in both US and global IP rights plus his "attention to detail and client service" instills confidence in his clients.

Michael Friscia is active in the area of patent and trademark prosecution and has been involved in a number of patent and trademark infringement and enforcement actions over the last year. Sources value his approachability and expertise: "It is nice to have someone who makes it easy to deal with these issues."

According to sources, associate Jonathan Short has "grown and matured into everything a client wants. He has great presence, intellect and pragmatism and growing depth of substantive knowledge in IP and IT."  

THE FIRM SNR Denton's global network strength lends weight to the firm's IP practice in New Jersey. The team's IP advice covers the gamut of issues and it represents a broad range of clients from universities to manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies. Interviewees find their global network and skillfully merged corporate and commercial counsel particular strengths. It continues to advise Synchronoss Technologies on a range of matters, including patent infringement litigation and prosecution activities, and on patent strategy in M&A activities.

Sources say: "I value their legal knowledge and expertise, specifically with regard to early stage companies and their needs, in both corporate and IP matters. I also value their flexibility in working with us in a way that is affordable but still provides high-quality service." 

KEY INDIVIDUALS The "thoughtful, knowledgeable and creative" Joel Bock's "understanding of IP laws in multiple states nationally and abroad" makes him a "tremendously sound and experienced counsel who understands how and when to patent." He has a wide IP practice and advises companies in the telecommunications, publishing, automotive and life sciences industries, among others.

THE FIRM International powerhouse Greenberg Traurig has a strong New Jersey-based IP team that handles a range of matters including patent prosecution, trademark registration, IP agreements and counseling. The team is able to draw on the wider firm's vast pool of expertise in order to deliver sector specific advice coupled with an accomplished ability to integrate its advice seamlessly with clients' businesses. It continues to advise long-standing clients Alcoa and Broadridge Financial Services on a range of patent matters. The team also recently obtained full defense judgment on behalf of Dilip Choski & Pharmachem Labs in a trade secrets misappropriation case. 

Sources say: "I value the firm’s overall focus on client relations. The firm is generous with its time and the attorneys with whom we work are extremely knowledgeable and experienced."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Barry Schindler cochairs the firm's patent prosecution practice. Clients laud his ability to combine "a comprehensive understanding of technology creation and patent practice that makes it possible to craft excellent patent assets that support commercial strategies."

Broad-practiced IP attorney and cochair of the firm's New York Metro intellectual property practice, Ralph Selitto "is knowledgeable, practical, and focused on our interests as a client. He is also very conscious of client concerns about costs and is responsive to addressing them."  

THE FIRM Wollf & Samson debuts in the rankings, having earned praise for its high-quality and growing IP practice. It has increased its patent protection and prosecution team over the past year and represents a growing number of clients in the technology and communications arena. The team has also recently been involved a number of IP asset protection actions for well-known entertainment businesses. It represents high profile brands such as AT&T, Alcatel-Lucent and Siemens.

Sources say: "They try hard to understand what matters to customers and clients. When they advise they present the pros and cons and then give their advice. They are talented and good to work with."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Howard Schwartz provides impressive "expertise and experience," sources say. Highly regarded as a trial lawyer he counsels a host of arts professionals including authors and producers and is currently representing Penguin Group in a defamation and false light suit.

Jeffrey Weinick represents technology and telecom companies in patent disputes. According to clients: "The quality of his work is very good and he always meets deadlines, so we have a lot of trust in his work."

Trademark attorney Peter Nussbaum is praised for being "fabulously responsive and easy to work with." He has recently represented music duo 3OH!3 in a trademark infringement suit regarding hand symbols.