Vorys Continues to Strengthen IP Team with Addition of Two Partners
Vorys announced today the strengthening and expansion of its intellectual property (IP) practice. Mark A. Watkins and Michael J. Garvin, two of Ohio’s most experienced IP attorneys, have joined Vorys as partners. Vorys has provided IP legal advice for decades and – over the last several years – has broadened that practice to fill virtually every niche of the IP law landscape.
Garvin and Watkins, who will practice in the firm’s northeast Ohio offices, have a wealth of IP experience. Together, they bring more than 55 combined years of legal experience to an already seasoned team of Vorys patent, trademark, copyright, technology and litigation attorneys.
“Our clients increasingly are demanding highly technical counsel on a wide variety of IP matters,” said Russ Gertmenian, Vorys’ managing partner. “As part of our strategic plan, we have and will continue to grow and develop our team of knowledgeable and experienced IP attorneys. By adding Michael and Mark, we exceeded our highest expectations.”
Watkins, a former pharmacist, has provided IP counsel to many Fortune 1000 companies across the U.S. and around the world. He helps companies create IP strategies for the procurement and protection of their IP rights. He has participated in the procurement, enforcement and defense of a wide range intellectual property matters and has experience in IP protection. Watkins has developed a niche within the entertainment industry protecting the brands of numerous celebrities and athletes. He will work primarily in the Vorys Akron office.
Garvin has spent his career focused on IP and technology litigation and is the former co-chair of the IP Litigation Committee of the American Bar Association Section of Litigation. He has handled dozens of patent infringement lawsuits, including prosecution and defense in the fields of electrical, mechanical, computer, telecommunications and medical devices. Garvin will work primarily in the Vorys Cleveland office.
Watkins and Garvin come highly rated by their peers and clients. Both are AV Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell and have been named a “Leading Lawyer in Intellectual Property” by Chambers and Partners. In addition, they are included among the Best Lawyers in America and are listed as Ohio Super Lawyers.
Within the firm’s footprint, the Vorys IP team represents a number of the region’s largest companies on IP-related matters. Vorys also works with Israeli, Japanese and Korean companies seeking patent protection in the U.S. The firm’s IP attorneys include pharmacists and various types of engineers.
“Our clients appreciate our comprehensive and first-hand understanding of their business challenges,” said Benita A. Kahn, who chairs the firm’s technology and IP practice group. “Mark and Michael bring the credentials, education and experience that so many of our clients and prospective clients require.”
The additions also bolster the firm’s legal offerings in northeast Ohio. Vorys’ Cleveland office opened in 1982 and its Akron office was added in 2004. Each office has continued to expand and grow. The addition of Garvin and Watkins, both of whom join Vorys from Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP, extends Vorys strong IP practice to northeast Ohio.
“Through Akron and Cleveland, Vorys provides high level representation of some of our area’s most respected companies,” said F. Daniel Balmert, managing partner of the firm’s Akron office. “Michael and Mark allow us effectively and efficiently to meet the IP needs of our clients.”
About Vorys: Vorys was established in 1909 and has grown to be one of the largest Ohio-based law firms with nearly 375 attorneys in seven offices in Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Akron, Ohio; Washington, D.C.; Houston, Texas; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Vorys currently ranks as one of the 200 largest law firms in the United States according to American Lawyer magazine. For more information about the Vorys IP team, visit Vorys.com/IP.
