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Intellectual Property Litigator Christopher A. Hughes to Join Cadwalader
Friday, August 17, 2007
New York, NY – Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, one of the world’s leading law firms, announced today that Christopher A. Hughes will join the firm as head of the Intellectual Property Group and a member of the Litigation Department, resident in New York. A former partner with the intellectual property specialty firm of Morgan & Finnegan LLP, Mr. Hughes has more than 30 years experience in complex patent, trade secret and trademark litigation, as well as licensing and intellectual property counseling in the US and abroad. His experience spans myriad industries, including computers and software, consumer products and industrial equipment, e-commerce and financial service matters, and mechanical and medical devices.
"Intellectual property protection is critical to the viability of many new and emerging businesses and to improving the performance of more well-established companies. Creating a foundation from which we can offer robust IP services is critical to our extending litigation, corporate, and regulatory and advisory services to a large segment of our client base," stated Robert O. Link, Jr., Cadwalader’s Chairman. He added, "Chris’ record of significant IP matters for prestigious clients, proven experience as a litigator, and leadership role in the bar for over 20 years provide unique opportunities for Cadwalader."
Mr. Hughes noted that "the opportunity presented to me by Cadwalader is exciting. Cadwalader is among the most highly regarded firms in the world, with a stable client base in virtually every practice area. By joining forces with such a well-established organization, one that is committed to building a robust intellectual property practice, I hope not only to expand my client relationships but also to offer counsel to the firm’s existing and prospective clients with IP issues."
Since the early 1990s, Mr. Hughes has represented IBM in patent litigations involving a variety of computer software and hardware technologies and in several District Courts. He also represented Priceline.com in litigation involving the famous "Priceline Patent" and is currently handling patent infringement actions regarding cardiovascular stent technologies on behalf of Medinol Ltd. Appointed Special Master by the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island for the purpose of assisting the Court in Arendi U.S.A., Inc. v. Microsoft Corporation, Civil Action No. 02-CV-343 (ECT), he has dealt with complex discovery issues and motions in limine.
Mr. Hughes’ international experience includes coordinating patent infringement trials and hearings throughout Europe (including trials seeking preliminary relief and cross-border injunctions) as well as nullity, cancellation and opposition proceedings on important patent rights in European Courts and Patent Offices. In these matters, he has coordinated the corresponding activities in the United States with respect to the U.S. counterpart patents.
Among other clients for which he has previously handled significant matters are AT&T Corporation, Eastman Kodak Company, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG, IBM Corporation, Lucent Technologies, Medinol, Ltd., Osteonics Corporation, Robert Bosch GmbH, Stryker Corporation, Symbol Technologies, Inc., and Walker Digital.
Among his many accolades, Mr. Hughes has been featured in The Best Lawyers In America; Chambers USA America's Leading Lawyers for Business; Intellectual Property: The Year in IP Almanac (IP Law and Business); Guide to the World's Leading Patent Law Experts (Legal Media Group); Super Lawyers; and many others. He was elected as a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.
A frequent lecturer and author, he has spoken and published throughout the United States, Japan and Korea on such topics as attorney-client privilege, contributory and induced infringement, means-plus-function claim elements, various aspects of Markman claim construction proceedings, the doctrine of equivalents including the impact of the Federal Circuit and Supreme Court decisions in the Festo case, and U.S. trade secret law. Mr. Hughes was featured in several Lawcast presentations discussing "New Patent Litigation Tactics for the Post-Festo World." He also discussed "Strategies For Litigating Against Patent Holding Companies," at the AIPLA 2004 Spring Meeting; and participated on two panels, "Securing Ownership of Employee Innovations," and "Protecting and Embracing Your IP" at the 2004 IP Strategies in Deals Conference.
Mr. Hughes is currently President of the New York Intellectual Property Law Association, where he has served on the Board of Directors since 2001; the American Intellectual Property Law Association; Licensing Executives Society; American Judicature Society; Intellectual Property Owners; New York State Bar Association, where he is a member of the Litigation and Intellectual Property Sections; and American Bar Association, where he is also a member of the Litigation and Intellectual Property Sections. He is also a founding Board Member of the New York University Lawyer Alumni Mentoring Program and serves on the Executive Advisory Board (1998-to date). He served as an adjunct instructor at New York Law School from 1980-82.
A graduate of the New York University School of Engineering and Science, Mr. Hughes received his B.S. cum laude, and was a member of Tau Beta Pi and Sigma Gamma Tau Honor Societies, a recipient of the Founder's Day Award, and a member of the National Fraternity Hall of Fame. He received his J.D. from New York University School of Law, where he was awarded the Donald Brown Fellowship in Patent Law, served as a member of the Moot Court Executive Board, and was a co-author of the Patent Law, Annual Survey of American Law (New York University, 1972-73). Mr. Hughes is admitted to practice before the State of New York, Southern District of New York, Eastern District of New York, Second Circuit Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit Court of Appeals and U.S. Supreme Court. He is also licensed to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
About Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP
Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, established in 1792, is one of the world's leading international law firms, with offices in New York, London, Charlotte, Washington and Beijing. Cadwalader serves a diverse client base, including many of the world's top financial institutions, undertaking business in more than 50 countries in six continents. The firm offers legal expertise in antitrust, banking, business fraud, corporate finance, corporate governance, environmental, healthcare, insolvency, insurance and reinsurance, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, private client, private equity, real estate, regulation, securitisation, structured finance, and tax. More information about Cadwalader can be found at www.cadwalader.com.
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