Intellectual Property Specialists Kenneth H. Ohriner and Michael J. Wise Join Perkins Coie in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES (August 20, 2002) – The Perkins Coie law firm today announced the acquisition of a 10-person patent law practice group, further strengthening the firm's reputation as one of the nation's strongest intellectual property practices. Perkins Coie now has more than 80 intellectual property attorneys in its Los Angeles, San Francisco, Menlo Park, Portland, Denver and Seattle offices.

Nationally recognized intellectual property attorneys Kenneth H. Ohriner and Michael J. Wise, formerly with Lyon & Lyon, are joining the firm as partners in Los Angeles, effective immediately. Also moving from Lyon & Lyon to Perkins Coie are associates Rodger K. Carreyn, David P. Devlin, Rebekka C. Noll, Lauren Sliger, and James Jian Zhu. In addition, they will be joined by three paralegals, also from Lyon & Lyon.

"We are very excited to acquire such a distinguished group of attorneys because this is further evidence that Perkins Coie has emerged as a leader in intellectual property law," said Bruce Sherman, managing partner of Perkins Coie's Los Angeles office. "This acquisition is part of a strategic plan by the firm to continually expand our market presence in all technology-related practices. In addition to handling our clients' business transactions, we recognize the special need they have to protect their intellectual property. In Los Angeles for example, we began strengthening our IP practice last year by bringing on patent litigator Bret Bocchieri. Adding this strong group of patent procurement attorneys was the next logical step for us."

"We are thrilled to be moving to Perkins Coie, a general practice firm with a demonstrated commitment to intellectual property law in general and specifically to patent prosecution," said Mr. Ohriner. "Patent prosecution has remained a strong area of the law business, even during the current slower economy. What we are finding is that in today's uncertain market, companies can better succeed with a carefully prepared overall legal strategy that only a full-service firm like Perkins Coie can provide."

Perkins Coie's patent practice has grown from zero in 1999 to approximately 100 attorneys, patent agents and support staff today. Recently, the firm added nearly a dozen patent attorneys and patent agents to its Menlo Park office. "Expanding our patent procurement capabilities in Los Angeles provides at least two benefits under our national patent strategy," says Christopher Daley-Watson, a patent attorney in the firm’s Seattle office. "By assembling so many experienced practitioners, each with different technical and legal experiences, we can draw on this larger pool of talent in answering the more difficult patent questions that arise. By sharing ideas, we generate ever better state-of-the-art solutions to our clients' patent problems, and there’s no doubt that they benefit from this synergy."

Said Mr. Wise, "Locally, we have been working with several Perkins Coie partners as part of our leadership in the Southern California Biomedical Council. Given Perkins Coie's commitment to the life sciences industry and its history of technology leadership, our intellectual property practice was the perfect fit with Perkins Coie’s national intellectual property practice and, in combination with the other practice groups, provides the Los Angeles office with the ability to satisfy virtually every legal need a growing tech company has at every stage of development."

Perkins Coie sought out Ohriner, Wise and their team after Lyon & Lyon announced that it was closing its Los Angeles office. "We have admired their work for years," said Mr. Sherman, "and their expertise fit perfectly with Perkins Coie's strategic expansion."

As a Perkins Coie partner, Mr. Ohriner will continue his practice in patent litigation, prosecution and counseling. He holds a degree in mechanical engineering and, before attending law school, held positions in the telecommunications, avionics and defense electronics industries. During his legal career he has been responsible for obtaining more than 250 U.S. Patents and many foreign patents. He received his law degree from the St. Johns University of Law in Jamaica, New York.

Mr. Wise, will concentrate on patent litigation, patent prosecution, interferences and licensing in the life sciences industry. His experience includes working with a wide range of technologies from biotechnology to laser bar code scanning to state-of-the-art life sciences technologies. At Lyon & Lyon, he served as chair of the Life Sciences Practice Group and was a member of the firm's Executive Committee. Mr. Wise is active in the Southern California Biomedical Council, where he serves as a board member and mentors start-up companies. He received his undergraduate degree in biology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and his law degree, cum laude, from Loyola Law School.

Rodger K. Carreyn's practice encompasses a variety of areas, including patent and trademark prosecution and litigation. He holds a degree in civil and environmental engineering from the University of Michigan and received his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School. David P. Devlin is a board-certified podiatrist who provided patient care in podiatric surgery, medicine and orthopedics/biomechanics before attending law school. He has served as an established medical expert advising law firms and as a basic medical science instructor at the Nova Institute in Los Angeles. He holds an undergraduate degree in biology from Michigan State University, a B.S. in basic medical sciences and a D.P.M. from California College of Podiatric Medicine, an M.S in education from the University of Southern California, and a law degree from Loyola Law School.

Rebekka C. Noll will emphasize patent prosecution for biotechnology companies in her practice. Her background includes assisting in the examination of both U.S. and European biotechnology patents for the Federal Institute of Intellectual Property in Switzerland. She conducted research involving tumor gene therapy at Harvard Medical, where she received an M.S. in medical sciences. She also holds undergraduate degrees in molecular biology and literature/writing, and received her law degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. Lauren Sliger will practice in patent and trademark prosecution and litigation. She received undergraduate degrees in molecular and cell biology and in economics, in addition to an M.B.A. and a law degree from the University of Arizona. James Jian Zhu will focus his practice on patent prosecution for life sciences technology companies, patent portfolio management and patent counseling. Formerly he was co-founder, general counsel and director of business development for GanTech International, Inc. in San Mateo. He holds a doctorate in cellular and molecular biology from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, an M.B.A. in finance from Columbia Business School, and a B.S. in biology from Fudan University in Shanghai. Dr. Zhu received his law degree from Columbia University Law School.