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Patent Lawyer Ginger Dreger Joins Arnold & Porter in San Francisco
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
Former In-House Counsel at Genentech Will Expand Life Sciences Practice Nationally
San Francisco, CA -- Arnold & Porter LLP announced today that prominent patent lawyer Ginger R. Dreger has joined the firm’s intellectual property practice in San Francisco as a partner. She brings with her a team of 13 people including associates Jeffery P. Bernhardt, Alissa H. Faris, and James A. Fox., as well as two patent agents. Ms. Dreger’s practice will focus on counseling and strategic advice relating to domestic and international patent matters, including worldwide patent protection and enforcement strategies, freedom-to-operate issues, intellectual property due diligence, and analysis of third-party patents.
"Ginger is an outstanding patent prosecutor, and she is highly respected throughout the life sciences sector," said Arnold & Porter Chair Thomas Milch. "With her breadth of experience both in private practice and at Genentech, she is uniquely able to address critical client needs in the biotechnology, medical device, and pharmaceutical industries. With Ginger, we have strengthened further our internationally recognized life sciences practice."
"For almost 20 years, Ginger has worked at the forefront of innovation in Northern California," said Trent Norris, head of the firm’s San Francisco office. "Our region’s most respected and forward-thinking companies look to her for wise counsel. She is a perfect fit for the firm’s existing IP capabilities and our growing San Francisco office." Arnold & Porter recently announced the addition of San Francisco patent lawyer Todd Lorenz, who also has extensive experience focusing in patent prosecution, enforcement, counseling, and IP transactions for life sciences companies.
Ms. Dreger has held leadership positions in life sciences and patent prosecution and enforcement practices at national law firms, as well as in firm management. She represents emerging and established public biotechnology companies in the Bay Area and around the country. She is a graduate of the University of California Hastings College of the Law. She earned a master’s degree in chemistry from Eötvös Loránd University of Science in Budapest, and also worked as a patent specialist and headed the patent department of the pharmaceutical company Gedeon Richter Rt. before moving to the United States.
"I am excited to join Arnold & Porter’s impressive IP team in Northern California," said Ms. Dreger. "The firm has a stellar reputation in representing clients around the world in a wide range of areas, including FDA, healthcare, and life sciences matters. I believe my experience will strengthen Arnold & Porter’s ability to strategically serve clients in the protection of their patent portfolios."
Ms. Dreger joins Arnold & Porter’s expanding West Coast team of lawyers. Arrivals in the past 18 months in San Francisco have included environmental lawyer Karen Nardi; a team of three litigators led by Mr. Norris, including Angel Garganta and Monty Agarwal, who focus on consumer class actions, intellectual property, product liability, and environmental matters; IP litigator Beth Parker; and consumer protection and product liability lawyer Sarah Esmaili. In Los Angeles, additions have included former U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Lisa Hill Fenning; antitrust and business litigators James Speyer, John Ulin, and Eric Shapland; and trademark lawyer Diane Lambillotte.
The life sciences team at Arnold & Porter is recognized on both sides of the Atlantic. Arnold & Porter ranked No. 2 in the Practical Law Company's "Which Lawyer?" Life Sciences Industry Super League table and ranked No. 4 in the Regulatory Super League table for 2009. The firm has 19 recommended lawyers in the Industry Super League table and five recommended lawyers in the Regulatory Super League table. For both tables, the firm is recommended in England and Wales, the EU, and the United States.
Arnold & Porter’s IP practice is international in scope, with some 90 lawyers practicing in the areas of patents, copyrights, trademarks, rights of publicity, trade secrets, and related issues. The group is co-chaired by Ronald L. Johnston (Los Angeles), an IP litigator in the technology and entertainment industries, and David R. Marsh (Washington, D.C.), who focuses on counseling, interferences, and patent procurement in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, chemical, and medical device sectors, among others. Many members of the IP team have advanced degrees in scientific disciplines and engineering, as well as vital industry-sector experience that allows them to counsel clients on legal needs in the context of long-term strategic planning. The firm’s IP lawyers work closely with lawyers from related practice areas who are skilled at dealing with the special issues involving IP in other areas of law, such as U.S. antitrust and European competition; corporate law; public policy; product liability; and government contracts and other regulatory fields.
Arnold & Porter LLP is an international law firm of more than 675 lawyers with offices in Brussels, Denver, London, Los Angeles, New York, Northern Virginia, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. The firm, founded in 1946, maintains more than 25 practice areas spanning a broad spectrum of the law, with a primary focus on litigation, transactional matters, and regulatory issues.
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