Miles & Stockbridge Scoops Up Seven IP Attorneys

Miles & Stockbridge has expanded the firm's intellectual property practice with the addition of seven lawyers from Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz. Susan McBee, Chester Moore and David Woodward starting August 26 as principals. Richard Henderson joins the firm as of counsel, while Bryan Jones and David Vanik join as counsel. Associate Sharzi Jiang is also making the move. The attorneys will split time working in Miles' Washington, Tysons Corner, Va. and Rockville, Md. offices. The attorneys focuses primarily on the life sciences field, including chemical, biotechnology, pharmaceutical and engineering. Since January, Miles & Stockbridge has added 13 attorneys to the intellectual property group. "We have never tried to force an IP group," Miles chairman John Frisch said in an interview. "Similarly, we have taken our strategic cues from the group's leaders as things have evolved." In an interview, McBee, who previously served as chairwoman of Baker Donelson's life sciences intellectual property team in Washington, said that intellectual property practices were largely unaffected by the recession. "A very important asset for (research and development) companies is their intellectual property," McBee said. "Even a single patent or a patent family can be worth millions of dollars." The America Invents Act, McBee said, has created new avenues for challenging patents and will further accelerate the growth of IP practices. In the meantime, McBee and the team will be busy handling existing client matters and tackling new ones at Miles. McBee said clients include companies in the pharmaceutical, biotech, and chemical industries. "We expect our core group of clients to come with us," McBee said. "Miles & Stockbridge was a natural fit for where my colleagues and I wanted to take our practice."

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