Perkins Coie Acquires Thirteen Former Heller Ehrman Attorneys in Madison, Wisconsin

SEATTLE (October 17, 2008) – Perkins Coie announced today that 13 attorneys from the former Heller Ehrman Madison, Wisconsin, office have joined the firm. The group, mainly comprised of patent litigators, adds significant depth to the firm's growing national Patent Litigation practice.

"It is a testament to our strength as a national firm that these talented attorneys have chosen to join the firm," said Perkins Coie Managing Partner Bob Giles. "We are committed to expanding our litigation capabilities and this group of highly respected lawyers will help our pursuit of that strategic goal. We are delighted to have them join us and confident that they will feel at home here."

Madison office partner David Harth added, "We are very excited about joining Perkins Coie. It is a tech-savvy law firm, and represents some of the most innovative companies in the world. We think Perkins Coie will provide an unparalleled platform for our patent litigation practice."

The addition of the former Heller attorneys complements Perkins Coie's efforts to expand its national presence through strategic acquisitions and lateral hires. In 2004, Perkins Coie merged with Phoenix-based Brown & Bain, a firm known nationally for its IP litigation capabilities. In 2007, the firm added several attorneys from Mayer Brown to its IP litigation team, including Michael Warnecke, the former head of Mayer Brown's worldwide IP practice. Perkins now has more than 175 IP professionals.

"Adding this team of attorneys to our firm brings even greater depth to the services we can provide our clients," said Joe Mais, chair of the firm's Litigation practice group. "Our new colleagues will add to our considerable expertise in the areas of information technology, life sciences, semiconductors, gaming, patent and trademarks."

With these new attorneys from Heller Ehrman, Perkins Coie now has nearly 700 attorneys worldwide. The firm continues to offer a broad range of services, focusing primarily on litigation, corporate finance, intellectual property, real estate, and labor and employment law. The firm also has a strong international capability through its offices in Beijing and Shanghai.

Perkins Coie has been recognized as among the best places to work. The firm is dedicated to providing an inclusive work environment that provides all employees the opportunity to succeed. For six consecutive years, Perkins Coie has been on FORTUNE magazine's list of "100 Best Companies to Work For" and this year was named one of the "Best Places to Work" by Crain's Chicago Business. The firm was also recently recognized by Working Mother magazine as one of the "2008 Best Law Firms for Women" and one of the "2008 Top Ten Family Friendly Firms" by Yale Law Women.