St. Louis Business Journal – Evan Binns
Armstrong Teasdale continues to expand its intellectual property practice group with the addition of attorneys Harven DeShield, Jason Conway and Mark Pitchford. Along with the trio of new lawyers, the firm’s IP practice added two technology specialists, bringing the total number of practice members to 72.
The three attorneys joined Armstrong as associates and will focus on patent-related issues for biochemistry, biomedical engineering and electrical engineering.
St. Louis-based Armstrong Teasdale’s IP practice is the largest in the metropolitan area, according to Business Journal research. One of the area’s largest private companies, the law firm reported 2008 revenue of $112.4 million.
Bob Guest, partner with Affinity Law Group, said companies continued to seek competitive advantages through protected intellectual property, requiring more IP attorneys to navigate the application process.
“People recognize the value of innovation and the revenue derived from commercializing it,” Guest said. “You find more and more that IP is one of most valuable assets in the business world.”
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office reported nearly 232,000 new patent applications in 2008, up nearly 72 percent from 135,000 patent applications filed in 1998.
DeShield focuses his practice on applications in the life sciences, genetics, and biochemistry, pharmaceutical and chemical sciences. Conway’s practice focuses on preparing and prosecuting patent applications, and patent infringement issues for the mechanical and electrical industries. Pitchford specializes in the electrical, software and mechanical arts.
Armstrong is the fourth-largest law firm in the St. Louis area with 197 local licensed attorneys, according to Business Journal research.
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