Contact Information: Contact: Jessica Schnack King & Spalding ph (212) 556-2226 Email Contact
Patent Partner Richard Pettus Joins King & Spalding's IP Practice
King & Spalding Continues Its Fast-Paced Expansion in Intellectual Property With Seventh New IP Partner in Past Four Months
| Source: King & Spalding
NEW YORK, NY -- (MARKET WIRE) -- January 9, 2007 -- Continuing its aggressive expansion in the
intellectual property arena, King & Spalding, a leading international law
firm, announced today that Richard Pettus, a patent litigator with
significant experience in the pharmaceutical, medical device and consumer
products sectors, has joined the firm's New York office as a partner in its
intellectual property practice group. Pettus is the seventh new partner to
join King & Spalding's IP group in the past four months and the third new
partner to join the firm's New York office in that time period.
"We are excited to welcome Rich to King & Spalding as yet another addition
to our expanding IP group," said Courtland L. Reichman, the leader of King
& Spalding's intellectual property practice. "Rich is a first-rate trial
attorney, who has handled an impressive roster of IP cases during his
career and has extensive experience in the pharmaceutical and medical
devices industries. He will be an important contributor to our ongoing
efforts to expand our intellectual property practice and enhance our
services to these industries."
Pettus is the seventh new partner to join King & Spalding's IP practice
since September 2006. IP litigators Tony Askew, Steve Schaetzel, Jim
Johnson and John Harbin joined the practice in the firm's Atlanta office,
and patent lawyers Ken Sonnenfeld and Peg Brivanlou 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 now numbers more than 100 lawyers and patent
agents.
Pettus joins King & Spalding from McDermott Will & Emery, where he was a
partner. His practice focuses on the litigation and licensing of patents,
with particular expertise in pharmaceutical matters, including ANDA
Hatch-Waxman actions. He also has extensive experience counseling FORTUNE
250 and emerging pharmaceutical/biotech companies and investors on
strategies for IP due diligence, licensing, pre-litigation investigations
and patent prosecution. Prior to joining McDermott, Pettus practiced at
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius and the patent litigation boutique Hopgood,
Calimafde, Kalil & Judlowe.
Pettus earned an engineering degree from Manhattan College and a J.D. from
Fordham University School of Law.
"King & Spalding has a tremendous platform for handling big-ticket
litigation and has deep relationships with some of the country's best
companies," said Pettus. "With the firm's focus on growing the IP group and
expanding its representation of pharmaceutical and biotech clients, this is
a great opportunity for me. I look forward to contributing to the group's
ongoing success."
Note to Editors: For a photograph of Rich Pettus, 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 http://www.kslaw.com/.