Three Merchant & Gould offices and fourteen individuals were recognized in the IAM Patent 1000 list of “the world’s leading patent professionals” for 2017.
In its 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, DC Metro Area, and Minnesota, and includes one Merchant & Gould attorney in its national list of recommended individuals for post-grant proceedings. The publication also singles out the following fourteen Merchant & Gould attorneys for their patent-related practices:
- Brian Batzli
- B. Jefferson Boggs, Jr.
- Steven Bruess
- Matthew Fedowitz
- Peter Gergely
- Rachel Hughey
- Greg Leibold
- George Lewis
- Daniel McDonald
- David Schmaltz
- Timothy Scull
- Kirstin Stoll-DeBell
- Jeffrey Ward
- Anthony Zeuli
The firm-wide and individual rankings awarded to Merchant & Gould for 2017 are listed below, as well as some of the published editorial commentary.
Colorado
“Highly Recommended Firm” for prosecution and “Recommended Firm” for transactions and litigation
One of the country’s pre-eminent boutiques, Merchant & Gould has spent over a century in the game. It isn’t stuck in the past, however, and boasts the staff diversity, cutting-edge technical expertise and commerciality of the most modern service providers. With litigators, prosecutors and deal negotiators all on site, the Denver team can field just about any patent query going. However, with George Lewis and Timothy Scull in the fold, it is perhaps best known for its dexterous portfolio management and development. “Super smart, brilliant technically and a personable guy on top of it all”, Lewis has a holistic understanding of intellectual property and a talent for giving clear commercial impetus to the most diverse portfolios. Scull keeps patents at the forefront of his thinking and is feted for his software and computer architecture prowess. Peter Gergely and Kristin Stoll-DeBell put the emphasis on IP litigation and can lay infringement disputes to rest. Gergely is fluent in all kinds of technology, from electronics to life sciences; DeBell has an affinity for software in particular, but can quickly get to grips with most technical subject matter. The resident licensing mastermind is Gregory Leibold, who co-heads a dedicated transactional group as well as chairing the electrical and software sections. Having spent time in-house in IP value creation roles, he has an instinctive feel for what clients are seeking to accomplish; a wealth of private practice experience means he also knows how to make that happen.
DC Metro Area
“Recommended Firm” for prosecution
Merchant & Gould is one of the largest boutiques in the United States, with a storied history going back to the turn of the 20th century. It has a compact but versatile team stationed a short hop from the USPTO in Alexandria, Virginia, which includes chemical and life sciences mavens Jefferson Boggs and Matthew Fedowitz. These former examiners both keep broad practices and undertake strategic prosecution alongside their litigation and post-grant activities. The latter is something of a specialty for Boggs Jr, who has a strong background in interferences.
Minnesota
“Recommended Firm” for prosecution and litigation
Boutique Merchant & Gould has a “huge presence” on the patent landscape in Minnesota – the state in which it was founded more than a century ago. The team punches well above its weight in disputes, thanks in part to “wonderful lawyer” Daniel McDonald, a scrupulous and vastly experienced litigator who is immensely popular with innovators in the electronics and computing spaces. He recently enjoyed a number of successes as lead counsel for Medtronic Care Management Services in court and Patent Trial and Appeal Board proceedings against Robert Bosch Healthcare Systems. The strategically savvy and client-orientated Anthony Zeuli also has a flair for abstruse disputes; while newly featured pharmaceuticals ace and “excellent appellate lawyer” Rachel Hughey is a dexterous trial lawyer who delivers winning arguments with great lucidity. Merchant & Gould also has a team of elite patent prosecutors: commercially informed portfolio managers Steven Bruess and David Schmaltz are pros in the mechanical and electro-mechanical fields. CEO and managing director Brian Batzli makes sure that the team continues to house “great professionals who know exactly what they’re doing and provide a consistently excellent service”.
United States - National
"Recommended Individual" for post-grant proceedings
B Jefferson Boggs, Jr. - Merchant & Gould
IAM Patent 1000 2017 – The World’s Leading Patent Professionals, the sixth edition of Intellectual Asset Management’s guide, identifies and profiles leading private practice patent professionals and firms in the world’s key jurisdictions. The guide has been compiled following an extensive research process.