Patent Partner Peg Brivanlou Joins King & Spalding's Intellectual Property Practice

NEW YORK, NY -- (MARKET WIRE) -- November 1, 2006 -- King & Spalding, a leading international law firm, announced today that Margaret B. "Peg" Brivanlou, a patent attorney with significant experience in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical fields, has joined the firm as partner in its intellectual property practice group. Brivanlou is the sixth new partner to join King & Spalding's IP group in the past two months and the second new partner to join the firm's New York office in that time period.

"King & Spalding's IP practice is in growth mode, and we are excited that Peg has joined us to help expand our recently established patent prosecution capabilities in our New York office," said Courtland L. Reichman, head of the firm's intellectual property practice group. "Peg's experience prosecuting patents and counseling clients in the areas of biotechnology, genomics, bioinformatics and pharmaceuticals will be critical to our efforts to meet growing client demand for our expertise in those fields."

Brivanlou is the sixth new partner to join King & Spalding's IP practice in the past two months. IP litigators Tony Askew, Steve Schaetzel, Jim Johnson and John Harbin joined the practice in the firm's Atlanta office, and Ken Sonnenfeld -- also a patent prosecutor -- joined the firm's New York office. Sonnenfeld's arrival marked the establishment of a patent prosecution capability in the firm's New York office, which now has a full complement of IP capabilities and more than 30 lawyers and patent agents. In all, the firm's IP group has grown by 16 lawyers and patent agents over the past two months.

Brivanlou joins King & Spalding from Jones Day, where she was a partner. Her practice focuses on patent prosecution and counseling for clients in the biotechnology, genomics, bioinformatics and pharmaceutical fields. She also has extensive experience developing patent portfolios; rendering patent validity and non-infringement opinions; prosecuting interferences before the United States Patent and Trademark Office; and conducting due diligence and drafting documents in connection with public and private financings and other transactions. She practiced at Pennie & Edmonds before joining Jones Day.

Brivanlou earned an A.B. in Biology, magna cum laude, from Cornell University, a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of California at Berkeley and a J.D., cum laude, from Harvard University.

"I am really excited to be joining King & Spalding during this time of growth in its intellectual property practice and to be part of a firm that places such a high priority on the biotech-pharma field," Brivanlou said. "This is a great firm with fascinating clients in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, and I am looking forward to being part of its well respected IP team."

Note to Editors: For a photo of Peg Brivanlou, please contact Jessica Schnack at 212-556-2226 or jschnack@kslaw.com.

About King & Spalding

King & Spalding is an international law firm with more than 800 lawyers in Atlanta, Houston, London, New York and Washington, D.C. The firm represents more than half of the Fortune 100, and in a Corporate Counsel survey in August 2006 was ranked one of the top ten firms representing Fortune 250 companies overall. For additional information, visit www.kslaw.com.

Contact Information: Contact: Jessica Schnack King & Spalding LLP Ph (212) 556-2226 Email Contact