INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY FIRM ANALYSIS
Firm Briefings
well,” believes one rival about IP-boutique Rakoczy Molino Mazzochi Siwik. Located in Chicago, Rakoczy Molino has seen a lot of trial work coming out of one of the industry’s hotbeds for generic drug companies. “Last year they were beginning to enter the radar of their competition,” states one attorney. “In the past 12 months, they have become one of, if not, the most active HatchWaxman firms around.” Playing the biggest role in the firm’s recent surge are founding partners William Rakoczy and Paul Molino. Rakoczy has litigated against numerous Blockbuster drugs, including Prozac, Zantac, and Zoloft. One attorney believes that, “Very few attorneys have Ropes & Gray Ropes & Gray’s balanced IP practice complements the firm’s fullservice life sciences capabilities. “Their patent practice mimics the general culture of the industry group at the firm,” describes one attorney. “They make a point of being able to handle anything a client may present to them.” Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Bayer are atop of an impressive client list for Ropes & Gray. The partners at the firm have unique skill sets, as a large number of them do a significant amount of both contentious and noncontentious work for clients. James Haley’s practice exemplifies this approach as he has extensive experience in both patent oppositions and infringement suits. “I am sure he has never been stumped by an issue a client as brought him,” remarks one peer. He represented Vertex Pharmaceuticals in an inter partes reexamination brought by Ranbaxy against a Vertex patent related to its HIV drug Lexiva. Co-head of the IP Rights Management practice group Anita Varma is viewed by competitors as “an extremely skilled attorney with both legal and business smarts.” She also has a multi-faceted practice as she handles client’s patent litigations, as well as their IP transactions. Varma worked with Alexion Pharmaceuticals conducting due diligence on a recent patent portfolio and provided transactional support as well. “We would never think to use another firm for our IP needs because we don’t think anyone can do better,” believes one client about the team at Ropes & Gray. Another clients adds, “I started working with them eight years ago, and they have helped keep my company profitable since we began our professional relationship.” Rothwell Figg Ernst & Manbeck Chicago-based IP boutique Rothwell Figg Ernst & Manbeck is considered by peers as “one of the best generic Hatch-Waxman litigation firms on the east coast.” The firm handles a lot of work for generic manufacturing mainstay Mylan Pharmaceuticals and has represented them in a handful of litigious matters over the past few years. Partner Danny Huntington, who one practitioner believes is “a great legal mind with a large IP focus,” has handled both prosecution and litigation work for clients like Mylan. E. Anthony Figg, a named partner, has been lead counsel for Mylan on several occasions. Bristol Myers Squibb, Pfizer, and Cephalon are among the plaintiffs that Figg have litigated against on behalf of Mylan. “He is a great litigator who has been doing this type of work since the inception of the Hatch-Waxman statute,” states one competitor. “His experience is a key asset to his clients, and he continues to perform at a very high level.” Sidley Austin “Their bench is as deep and as talented as anyone. It doesn’t surprise me to see them representing more and more companies in IP litigation matters,” comments one rival about Sidley Austin. The firm has first-chair trial attorneys in many of the industry’s key areas including Silicon Valley, New York, and Chicago and is adept at handling both commercial patent and Hatch-Waxman litigations. “Among the best when it comes to life sciences patent
The percentage of all IP respondents with a PhD.
27%
courtroom abilities that are on the same level of William [Rakoczy].” He was able to obtain a final judgment of invalidity on GlaxoSmithKline’s main patent for Paxil, one of the world’s best selling antidepressants. Molino is also viewed by contemporaries as “an outstanding litigator and among the best Hatch-Waxman attorneys out there.” A great example of his suc 6W72??F?R??GW7G'?v2v?V?F?RfVFW&?6?&7V?B?77VVB'V??rff?&??r?????( ?27V66W72??F?RU2F?7G&?7B6?W'B?bF?RV7FW&?F?7G&?7B?bf?&v??? ( ?2?f??F??rF?B?W??( ?2vV?W&?26VfF???"G'Vr???F?&??F?2f?"F?&?B&V?FVB????W76W2?F?B??B??g&??vR???G2'&?FVB6??WF?F?.( ?2FV?B?&?&??2??????W"b6?&W6?F?&VR???'F?B?V'2f?"U2?&6VBvV?W&?2?&?6WWF?6???Vf7GW&??r6????W2&R&?7F??????W6?F??B?Wr??&??v?F??ff?6W2??V6???6F?????F?vF???&?WF?VR&?&??2??????W"b6?&W6??2??w&VB?6?F???F?6FW"F?F?V?"vV?W&?2?&?6WWF?6?6?V?N( ?2?F6??v????VVG2???RVW'2w&VW27FF??r?( ?F?W?&R??&R7F?fRF?????F?W"?rf?&???F?R76R?B?fRG&V?V?F?W2??V?B?b??&W76?fR?FW&GW&R&V?F??rF?F?V?"vV?W&?2G'Vr?F?vF???&7F?6R?( ?Gv??bF?Rf?&?( ?2?W?6?V?G2&RVW7BF?v??7F?72?BF?Rf??"6?'?&F????&?&??2????2?V?&W"?bG&??GF?&?W?2v??V?F?W"f?'7F6??"?F?vF?'2?"'B?bw&VFW"FV?F?7W?'BF?V?"6?V?G2?'F?W"&???BF?v?V?B?2W?FV?6?fRf?'7B?6??"?B6V6??F6??"W?W&?V?6R?B&V6V?Bv?&???6?VFW2&V?6??B?W'?G&??2??f??f??r??W&???R?B??6W&FR?GFW"?6?V?6?&?6W72f?"??Vf7GW&??r?WFV???( ?&???B?2w&VBGF?&?W?v???2?V??&??W276???F?v&G2F?R??GW7G'??B??26?V?G2?( ?6???V?G2??R6??WF?F?"??C?????r?dR44?T?4U2#0??