FT. LAUDERDALE, FL--(Marketwire - Oct 2, 2012) - Becker & Poliakoff announced today that Richard C. Litman, a patent attorney and founding shareholder of the Litman Law firm based in Manassas, Virginia has joined Becker & Poliakoff. The firm now has 157 attorneys and other professionals, with 12 Florida offices, two offices in New Jersey, and offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia and Europe.

With more than thirty years in legal practice, Mr. Litman joins Becker & Poliakoff along with five other registered patent attorneys, six registered patent agents, a trademark attorney and a staff of twenty. He will chair the firm's Intellectual Property & Emerging Technologies Practice Group, and serve as the Managing Shareholder of the firm's new office in Northern Virginia. Based near the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in Virginia, the new Becker & Poliakoff practice also includes former USPTO Director Richard J. Apley who leads the team of patent practitioners, and patent searchers, patent illustrators, technical specialists and client service managers.

Litman, a 1979 cum laude graduate of the University Of Miami School Of Law, holds two advanced law degrees, a Masters in Forensic Sciences and a LL.M. in Patent and Trade Regulation Law obtained while serving as the Food and Drug Law Institute Fellow. He is a Registered Patent & Trademark Attorney and a member of the Florida, Virginia, D.C., Maryland and Pennsylvania bars. He also serves as chairman of a commercial bank in Northern Virginia.

The new practice group represents universities, research centers, government programs, inventors, and emerging companies around the world and domestically which are developing and protecting inventions of all types, including energy, water and environmental technology, information and communications technology, and life sciences, medical and biotechnology.

"Richard's practice complements our existing practices and accelerates our efforts to grow and diversify our service offerings to clients," said Gary C. Rosen, Managing Shareholder of the firm. "Richard and his team have already begun working with attorneys in our New York and Florida offices on the formation and structuring of technology business entities, licensing and commercial contracting matters, mergers and acquisitions, international IP protection, and technology development and commercialization.

"Opportunities for commercialization of these new technologies will naturally lead to the growth in the firm's corporate, securities, tax, and mergers and acquisitions practice. It also further expands the firm's capacity to handle complex IP litigation," according to Rosen. 

Litman said, "Our international clients see the U.S. and specifically Florida as a strategic location to develop and commercialize green technology and inventions involving the biosciences."

Working with the firm's existing Customs & International Trade Group, Litman's practice, which is rated AV Preeminent, will handle products regulated by FDA and other governmental entities.

Litman adds that, "Becker & Poliakoff has been a leader in South Florida since it established its presence in 1973. Our clients will benefit greatly from the firm's talented pool of attorneys with experience in business and IP litigation matters, capital markets, finance transactions, tax, and mergers and acquisitions."

About Becker & Poliakoff

Becker & Poliakoff is a diverse commercial law firm with more than 155 attorneys, lobbyists and other professionals in 18 domestic and international offices. Celebrating its fortieth (40th) year of serving clients, the firm has eight primary areas of practice: Real Estate, Construction Law & Litigation, Community Association, Customs & International Trade, Business Litigation, Corporate & Securities, Government Law & Lobbying, and the Intellectual Property & Emerging Technologies practice. For more about the firm, visit: www.becker-poliakoff.com, or, www.becker-poliakoff.com/blogs/ to access forums on the latest ideas and opinions on legal matters hosted by Becker & Poliakoff attorneys.