Merchant & Gould's patent practice has been recognized in this year's edition of IAM Patent 1000, a publication by Intellectual Asset Management that lists the world’s leading patent professionals. In its 2016 rankings of firms and individuals, IAM Patent 1000 includes Merchant & Gould in the list of recommended firms for patent prosecution, transactions, and litigation in Colorado, Minnesota, DC Metro Area, and United States - National. The publication also singles out the following Merchant & Gould attorneys for their patent practice across four categories:
- Brian H. Batzli
- B. Jefferson Boggs, Jr.
- Matthew L. Fedowitz
- Peter A. Gergely
- Gregory D. Leibold
- George C. Lewis
- Daniel W. McDonald
- Timothy B. Scull
- Kirstin L. Stoll-DeBell
- Jeffrey S. Ward
- Anthony R. Zeuli
The complete 2016 firm and individual rankings awarded to Merchant & Gould are listed below, as well as some of the published editorial commentary.
United States - National
Firms: Prosecution
Merchant & Gould
Individuals: Post-grant Proceedings
B. Jefferson Boggs, Jr.
United States - Colorado
Firms: Prosecution
Highly recommended - Merchant & Gould
Firms: Transactions
Merchant & Gould
Firms: Litigation
Merchant & Gould
The sterling prosecution practice at Merchant & Gould has attracted the attentions of a diverse clientele, ranging from the largest corporate conglomerates to smaller local set-ups. Heading up the Denver office is the celebrated Timothy Scull, a “great leader.” Skilled portfolio manager George Lewis draws on his abundant experience in chemical and electrical engineering to fortify patrons’ market positions: “George does everything on the patent side. He cuts to the chase, so clients feel really comfortable and not like they are getting over-lawyered.” Electrical and software group chair Gregory Leibold keeps an eye on prosecution, but his licensing credentials are what really set him apart. The subtle powers of persuasion of this former in-house counsel make him a formidable, but disarming person to deal with at the negotiating table. In the form of Peter Gergely and Kirstin Stoll-DeBell, Merchant & Gould also has significant contentious muscle. Gergely is “an effective, incredibly thorough and precise cross-examiner”; while Stoll-DeBell’s prosecution savvy informs her approach to litigation – she has an uncanny knack for identifying and exploiting both the strengths and weaknesses of a patent.
Individuals: Transactions
Recommended - Gregory D. Leibold
Individuals: Prosecution
Highly recommended - Timothy B. Scull
Recommended - George C. Lewis
Individuals: Litigation
Peter A. Gergely
Kirstin L. Stoll-DeBell
United States - DC Metro Area
Firms: Prosecution
Merchant & Gould
DC’s Matthew Fedowitz and Jefferson Boggs are both listed in the IAM Patent 1000 litigation and prosecution tables. They develop strategies for the protection of clients’ crown-jewel technologies that work in practice, based on broad experience seeing matters play out in the USPTO and the courts. Intricate life sciences technologies pose them no problem and the pair have been on the frontlines of some crucial global pharmaceutical patent litigations recently. Boggs Jr adds post-grant experience to the mix, having practised in the arcane interference area for many years.
Individuals: Prosecution
Recommended - B. Jefferson Boggs, Jr., Matthew L. Fedowitz
Individuals: Litigation
B. Jefferson Boggs, Jr., Matthew L. Fedowitz
United States - Minnesota
Firms: Prosecution
Recommended - Merchant & Gould
Firms: Litigation
Recommended - Merchant & Gould
Many attributes make Merchant & Gould a strong player in Minnesota – the location of its establishment at the turn of the 20th century. “It is a firm with an outstanding work ethic. Its lawyers cooperate well together and provide practical advice. They are tough when necessary, but they don’t fight about things that aren’t important.” “We feel like we are their only client and that our projects are of the utmost importance,” enthused one satisfied customer. Litigators Daniel McDonald and Anthony Zeuli garner outstanding individual reviews: “Daniel has an impressive presence in the courtroom and is great at developing wider IP strategies.” He has lately notched up wins for Medtronic in inter partes reviews against Bosch. “Anthony Zeuli’s best quality is understanding what needs to be achieved from a business perspective and managing cases in a way to make it happen. He can do everything from negotiating favourable settlements to arguing in court, and is adept at patents, trademarks, trade secrets and copyright.” Brian Batzli is another multi-role operator whom clients can get a lot done with. The managing director, CEO and chairman is owed much credit for the firm’s high-flying performance.
Individuals: Transactions
Brian H. Batzli
Individuals: Litigation
Anthony R. Zeuli
Daniel W. McDonald
United States - Wisconsin
Other recommended experts
Jeffrey S. Ward
Merchant & Gould’s Jeffrey Ward is a veteran brawler in the Hatch-Waxman space; he spends his time helping generic drugs manufacturers to navigate the labyrinth of regulatory issues when bringing new products to market.
Individuals: Litigation
Jeffrey S. Ward
IAM Patent 1000 2016 – The World’s Leading Patent Professionals, the fifth edition of Intellectual Asset Management’s guide, identifies and profiles leading private practice patent professionals and firms in the world’s key jurisdictions.