Industry moves and mergers
Tania D’Souza-Culora
Tania D’Souza-Culora has joined Gowling WLG as a partner in its Toronto office and a member of its firm-wide IP group. D’Souza-Culora brings over a decade of experience advising clients on a range of domestic and global IP matters, including developing and managing global enforcement programmes. Her practice covers an array of complex issues relating to trademarks, designs, copyright, anti-counterfeiting and anti-piracy.
Jennifer Lantz
The Palo Alto office of Haynes and Boone has welcomed the return of Jennifer Lantz as a partner. Lantz, who has over 20 years of experience helping clients to protect their brands and other intellectual property, previously worked at the firm between 2009 and 2012.
Zeisler PLLC has announced that Mark N Mutterperl has joined the firm as a partner to lead its IP and brand protection practice. Mutterperl focuses on a broad range of IP matters, with an emphasis on brand protection, trademarks, trade dress, copyright, false advertising and right of publicity.
Roosdiono & Partners has appointed Endra Prabawa as a partner. Prabawa, who boasts over 16 years of experience handling a variety of IP cases, will head up the IP practice group.
Joseph P Grasser
Florian Traub
Squire Patton Boggs has announced the promotion of 39 lawyers as partners and principals across 20 offices. In the IP and technology team, Palo Alto-based Joseph P Grasser and Florian Traub in London are among those promoted within partnership.
IP litigator Susan E Hollander has joined Venable as a partner. She brings a team of IP professionals to the firm, including Jocelyn Belloni, counsel, and Sharoni Finkelstein, associate.
Michael J Abernathy
Morgan Lewis has expanded its global IP team with the addition of four IP partners: Michael J Abernathy, Sanjay K Murthy, Christopher J Betti and Amanda S Williamson. Abernathy focuses on trademark, patent, trademark, trade secret and antitrust litigation. Murthy and Williamson are patent litigators, while Betti is a patent attorney who spearheaded his former firm’s biosimilars practice.
Helen M Schweitz has joined the Chicago office of Quarles & Brady. An associate in the IP practice group, she has experience drafting and negotiating confidentiality, software, data, research and settlement agreements.
Sharon Rowe, formerly a partner at DLA Piper, has opened a new firm, Sharon Rowe Pty. Rowe has 15 years’ experience providing legal advice to the Australian government and private sector clients, and has worked on high-profile, complex and high-risk matters, including the negotiation and drafting of IP joint ventures.
Gurminder Panesar
Rachel Alexander
Media, technology and IP firm Wiggin has promoted Gurminder Panesar and Rachel Alexander to partners. Panesar leads Wiggin’s brand management and trademark team, overseeing the global trademark portfolios of a number of high-profile brands. Alexander works in the IP group and has been involved in cases including Newzbin and Cartier, which have developed precedents and procedures for obtaining injunctions requiring internet service providers to block access to pirate and counterfeit websites.
Margaret Le Galle has been appointed as a director of Spoor & Fisher Jersey, with Nola Pontes promoted to associate. Le Galle heads up the patents and designs team and boasts many years of experience in all aspects of patent and design registration, searches and renewals, particularly in Africa. Pontaes’ expertise spans trademark prosecution and portfolio management, including registration, searches and renewals, particularly across sub-Saharan and North Africa and the Caribbean.
Cooley has expanded its London office with the addition of Brian Chadwick, former general counsel and director at mobile games company Miniclip. Chadwick will spearhead Cooley’s digital media, entertainment and games practice out of the United Kingdom, and will work closely with the firm’s technology transactions, trademark and other practice groups, counselling on the licensing and protection of intellectual property in the digital media space.