Pharmaceutical Patent Litigator Joins Lahive & Cockfield's Intellectual Property Team
November 17, 2009
To meet clients’ growing demand for experienced and cost-effective intellectual property litigation, the IP boutique firm Lahive & Cockfield LLP has added Carl M. DeFranco as a partner in life sciences litigation.
As pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are preparing for 2010, they are faced with a changing regulatory environment and continued economic pressure to perform. Biosimilars legislation is pending, the complexity of drug patents is increasing and investors are anxious to see returns on investments.
“Carl’s experience litigating patents on behalf of large and small clients complements Lahive’s life sciences patent prosecution practice and expands the firm’s litigation capabilities,” said Amy E. Mandragouras, chair of Lahive’s executive committee. “As an IP specialty firm, we understand the complexity of pharmaceutical litigation. Our patent attorneys, scientists and litigators work together to provide clients with an integrated approach to IP litigation. Because of our size, we are able to offer flexible pricing options especially for midsize patent litigation cases.”
“With biosimilars legislation on the horizon and a number of potentially precedent setting patent cases pending, now is the perfect time to grow our litigation practice,” said William A. Scofield, chair of Lahive’s litigation group. “Carl’s experience as a patent examiner and patent litigator adds to the overall strength of our group, particularly in the Hatch-Waxman area.”
Carl has more than 20 years of experience in IP litigation. He focuses his practice on pharmaceutical, biotechnology and Hatch-Waxman Paragraph IV ANDA litigations. Working closely with the firm’s other practice groups, Carl litigates small- and large- molecule drug patents, particularly for niche and mid-tier drugs, as well as medical device patents. He is also experienced in Section 1498 patent infringement suits against the federal government.
Carl’s experience ranges from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to academia to large-firm practice. He began his career as a patent examiner with the USPTO and subsequently served nearly 10 years as a trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice before moving into private practice. Carl has tried patent infringement cases in the federal district courts and argued cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
About Lahive & Cockfield LLP
Lahive & Cockfield is a full-service intellectual property law firm with more than 30 attorneys, patent agents and technical specialists based in Boston, Mass. Our talented and diverse team of legal and scientific experts specializes in patents, trademarks, transactions and litigation in the life sciences and high-technology fields. Lahive’s clients range from start-up companies to Fortune 500 companies in the areas of biotechnology, chemistry, medical devices, computer systems, software, clean technology and electronics.
Contact Us
For additional information, please contact:
Kirsten Lovett, Marketing Director, Lahive & Cockfield LLP at 617.994.0851 or klovett@lahive.com
Carl DeFranco, Partner, Lahive & Cockfield LLP at 617.994.0853 or cdefranco@lahive.com
