Crowell & Moring Adds Seven Lawyers to Intellectual Property Group

Experienced Patent Team Includes AIPLA President-Elect

WASHINGTON, Jan. 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Crowell & Moring LLP gained a team of seven highly-esteemed patent prosecutors and litigators to its internationally recognized Intellectual Property Group. The new additions include partners E. Joseph Gess and Melissa M. Hayworth, as well as partner Teresa Stanek Rea, the president-elect of the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA). The attorneys join from Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC.

The team brings more than 90 years of experience in representing leading international clients such as Chevron, Johns Manville, Breckenridge Pharmaceutical, Inc., Elan Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and XenoPort, Inc. The group will bolster Crowell & Moring's Intellectual Property Group to more than 55 attorneys and expand its representation of clients within the chemical, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology industries, among others. Additions also include counsel C. Randolph Ross, as well as associates Asaf Batelman, Mary R. Bram, and Deborah H. Yellin.

"Our new additions include some of the most highly respected patent attorneys in the Bar. Joe Gess has led one of the top 10 patent firms in the country, and we will be looking for his continued leadership toward our constant goal of improving client service. Terry Rea is president-elect of the AIPLA and a genuine thought leader in the community whose reputation as a first-class practitioner will broaden our relationships with clients and peers," said Jeffrey D. Sanok, chair of Crowell & Moring's Intellectual Property Group.

"Crowell & Moring offers a platform that is rare among law firms. As a mid-sized firm, it has found a way to protect its sense of culture and collegiality in the midst of outstanding growth. As a firm with thriving international offices and client work, it offers the experience of lawyers who understand the realities of a global marketplace. It is the best of both worlds, and it provides an opportunity to serve our clients in new ways," said Gess.

"IP law is changing at a rapid rate, which means practitioners must constantly adapt in order to meet client needs. The changes are coming from every possible direction - from patent reform on Capitol Hill to rule changes in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to new decisions from the U.S. Supreme Court. Crowell & Moring's appreciation for the way the practice of IP law is changing, combined with its premier reputation and capabilities in the antitrust, corporate, and international trade arenas, makes this the right firm for us and our clients," said Rea.

Bios:

Partner E. Joseph Gess was the head of Buchanan Ingersoll's Alexandria and Silicon Valley offices, chair of the firm's Chemical Practice Group, and a former member of the firm's Board of Directors. He focuses his practice on chemistry, biotechnology, litigation and trademarks. He has experience in chemical and gas processing, polymer chemistry, petrochemicals, photographic materials, paper chemistry and processing, fiberglass materials, emulsions, and other industries. Gess, who will be resident in the Washington, D.C. office, obtained his law degree, with honors, from George Washington University National Law Center and his undergraduate degree in chemistry from University of Michigan.

Partner Teresa Stanek Rea, former co-chair of Buchanan Ingersoll's Intellectual Property Executive Committee and chair of its Biotechnology Practice Group, focuses her practice on complex patent litigation and inter partes matters, as well as patent procurement and portfolio management, including patent preparation and prosecution. Rea is a former pharmacist who has corporate experience as a patent attorney for a multinational chemical company. She has extensive experience in drafting infringement and validity opinions and licensing matters. In October of 2008, Rea will become president of the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA); she is currently president-elect. Rea, who will be resident in the Washington, D.C. office, obtained her law degree from Wayne State University and her undergraduate degree in pharmacy from University of Michigan.

Partner Melissa M. Hayworth, a former corporate patent attorney at Roche Bioscience and 3M Innovative Properties and a research chemist at Burroughs Wellcome, focuses her practice on organic chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, polymer chemistry, petroleum chemistry and biochemistry. She has experience in patent preparation and prosecution, infringement, validity and freedom to operate opinions, client counseling, and licensing. Hayworth, who will be resident in the Washington, D.C. office, obtained her law degree from Duke University and her undergraduate degree in chemistry from North Carolina State University.

Counsel C. Randolph Ross focuses his practice on patent litigation and other commercial litigation. His experience includes defense of pharmaceutical company Breckenridge Pharmaceutical, Inc. in a patent infringement case by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp., as well as work on the SecureInfo Corp. v. Telos Corp. case involving a counterclaim for infringement of two U.S. patents. Ross, who will be resident in the New York office, obtained his law degree from Cornell Law School. He earned an M.Div. from Yale University and a B.A. from University of Virginia.

Joseph Gess, Teresa Stanek Rea, Melissa Hayworth, Asaf Batelman, and Deborah Yellin were formerly with the renowned intellectual property boutique Burns, Doane, Swecker & Mathis LLP.

Crowell & Moring LLP's Intellectual Property Group has recently been ranked in The Legal 500 US-Volume II (Intellectual Property, Media, Technology, and Telecoms) in the categories of IP: non-contentious/transactional - Patent Re-examination and IP: non-contentious/transactional - Patent Prosecution: International Clients. Crowell & Moring is a full-service law firm with more than 350 lawyers practicing in litigation, antitrust, government contracts, corporate, intellectual property, and a variety of other practice areas. More than two-thirds of the firm's lawyers regularly litigate disputes on behalf of domestic and international corporations, start-up businesses, and individuals. Crowell & Moring's extensive client work ranges from advising on one of the world's largest telecommunications mergers to representing governments and corporations on international arbitration matters. Based in Washington, D.C., the firm also has offices in California, New York, London, and Brussels. Visit Crowell & Moring online at http://www.crowell.com.

Contact:

Nicole Quigley

(202) 624-2849

nquigley@crowell.com