Merchant & Gould promoted three attorneys in three of its offices around the country – a notable way to launch the New Year.  Effective Jan. 1, 2022, the promotions include Michael A. Erbele in Minneapolis; Luciano A. Ricondo in New York; and Robert S. Sykes in Denver.

“We are excited to expand our leadership and embrace Merchant & Gould’s growth in 2022, especially when new technologies are increasing and when our clients need us most.  These promotions bring depth to our practice groups in inventive industries across the country,” said Christopher J. Leonard, Managing Director and CEO of Merchant & Gould.  

Michael A. Erbele, promoted to partner in the Minneapolis office, focuses on intellectual property litigation and appellate-level disputes, representing clients in federal courts and agencies throughout the United States and in state court in Minnesota. He is involved in all aspects of complex intellectual property cases, from pre-suit investigation and discovery, through trial, post-trial, and appeal.  Michael’s practice centers on patent infringement, trademark and trade dress infringement, unfair competition claims, and trade secret misappropriation.  He has a technical background in chemistry and has represented clients in a wide variety of fields, including consumer products, financial services, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and software.

Luciano A. Ricondo, promoted to partner in the New York office, helps his clients to strategically grow their patent portfolios and obtain comprehensive intellectual property protection for new products and businesses.  He drafts and prosecutes domestic and foreign patent applications in the mechanical, electrical, computer, and software-related arts.  Luciano also prepares and prosecutes domestic and foreign industrial designs.  While his practice expands across multiple industries, Luciano’s practice primarily focuses on medical devices and software including healthcare communications connecting healthcare professionals with patients. In addition to patent prosecution, he provides litigation support in a variety of areas, including drafting opinion letters regarding patentability, freedom to operate, and patent infringement.

Robert S. Sykes, promoted to partner in the Denver office, is an intellectual property attorney who practices in the mechanical, electrical, aerospace, software and telecommunication spaces. When preparing a patent application for a client, he emphasizes strategic planning and detailed drafting to strive for efficiency.  Robert believes this is the best way to create real value for clients and their intellectual property portfolios.