Fulbright Names New Leaders of Global Intellectual Property Practice

Business Wire, March 18, 2008

HOUSTON -- Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P. has named two experienced partners to co-head the firm's global intellectual property practice. David Parker and James Repass will lead a team of nearly 150 lawyers in providing tailored, sophisticated service to intellectual property clients worldwide.

"Jim and David both are experienced strategists and managers of intellectual property portfolios with decades of experience helping clients with intellectual property needs," said Steven B. Pfeiffer, the Chair of Fulbright's Executive Committee. "As we continue building our global intellectual property presence, Jim and David are the right combination to lead our team to the next level."

Fulbright's intellectual property practice encompasses one of the country's largest concentrations of intellectual property lawyers. Fulbright's IP team sets out to vigorously protect clients' copyrights, patents, trade secrets, trademarks and related interests and stands ready to assemble a diverse and accomplished team to tackle any intellectual property issue that may arise.

In 2007, Chambers & Partners Global and Chambers & Partners USA ranked Fulbright as one of the nation's leading law firms, and its intellectual property litigation group has been ranked one of the 10 most active in the U.S. by IP Law Bulletin.

"This firm offers 'fantastic client awareness and a creative approach to strategy as well as a really solid understanding of the law,'" Chambers USA researchers wrote about Fulbright. "A major player in IP matters, it is singled out for its 'expertise and aggression in providing oral submissions.' The team maintains a wide platform, representing clients in patent prosecution as well as in litigation, and is particularly skilled in biotech and hi-tech computer matters."

Fulbright's IP group has extensive experience representing a diverse group of domestic and international businesses and inventors, where the firm's services include counseling clients about copyrights, patents, trade secrets and trademarks, handling arbitration, mediation and other litigation alternatives.

"Our team of talented lawyers brings strong legal skills that are typically combined with hands-on scientific and technical backgrounds in, for example, medicine, physics and chemical and electrical engineering," Parker said. "We bring together knowledge of the legal landscape and the industries our clients operate within each day. As a result of an understanding of our clients' businesses, we know how to keep them at the cutting edge."

Parker, who has a PhD in molecular pharmacology and genetic engineering, focuses on biotech patent litigation, prosecution and transactional issues and helping clients map out a course to protect future commercialization and marketing. On the litigation side, matters handled by Dr. Parker include that of a major corn seed producer in patent infringement litigation involving genetically engineered corn, a major biotechnology reagent company in a multiple jurisdiction patent infringement case involving biotech tools for genetic engineering, and various universities in infringement and constitutional matters. On the transactional side, Dr. Parker manages and oversees the patent portfolio of leading biopharmaceutical companies and numerous universities.

Repass handles intellectual property litigation and transactional matters, as well as securing patents, trademarks and copyright protection from government agencies. With more than 20 years of experience, Repass has managed the IP aspects of numerous multi-million dollar transactions, served as lead counsel in various IP lawsuits, assisted multiple large and medium-size clients in managing large IP portfolios, managed numerous international technology development and protection matters and provided formal opinions concerning potential infringement, validity and enforceability of client and third-party intellectual property.

"We take a collaborative approach to serving our clients in order to ensure that we put the very best minds with the most applicable experience to work to get the best result and value possible for our clients," Repass said. "Our team works across the globe on a daily basis to come up with innovative approaches to intellectual property law and meet our clients' needs in an evolving legal market where innovation and technology are required."

Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.

Founded in 1919, Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P. is a leading full-service international law firm, with nearly 1,000 lawyers in 16 locations in Austin, Beijing, Dallas, Denver, Dubai, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Munich, New York, Riyadh, San Antonio, St. Louis and Washington, D.C. Fulbright provides a full range of legal services to clients worldwide.

The 2007 BTI survey of FORTUNE 1000 general counsel chose Fulbright as "The BTI Client Service 30" A-Team and Corporate Board Member magazine named Fulbright among the top 20 corporate law firms in the U.S. in their survey of board members of public companies. For more information, please visit: www.fulbright.com.