Law firms chasing local IP work - San Francisco Business Times:

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Since February, three law firmas have set up new offices in the all seeking a larger sliced of the IPlegal pie. The firmse all recruited local lawyers who already have IP practices The languid economy has reduced the volume of some of the most prizec IPwork — patent infringement lawsuits — but law firms still think now is a good time to get establishede in the area. “Growing the intellectualp property practice will be important forobviouds reasons,” said Jerry Clements, the chairwomanm of 685-attorney Locke Lord Bissell Liddell LLP, which lured two IP lawyersd from LLP to open its new post in San Francisco.
Thosr obvious reasons are that IP work is becominf ever more important to Disputes overIP — the term applied to patents, trademarks and trade secrets can generate millions of dollars in fees over the life of a The number of new patent infringement casex declined last year about 8 percent to But lawyers and legal recruiter say IP remains among the hottesty areas of the legal business. The number of patentd granted roseto 185,224 last up 13 percent over the last and about 12 percent of thosse patents are granted to entrepreneurs in Silicoj Valley.
“If you want to say to your clients, ‘We’rer serious about IP,’ you need to have a presencde here” in the Bay Area, said Carl Baier, a valley-basedx legal recruiter. “This area is often very high on the of places firms want to enteer to buildIP business. Another firm that has moverd into the area recentlyis , a Dallasx firm with 550 lawyers across the Haynes & Boone now has 14 attorneys in San Jose aftedr taking over LLP, an IP LLP, a Phoenix-based firm with three lawyerws now in Mountain View, is the newest entrant.
The which for years had built its offices throughouttthe southwest, had to undertake some extra expensese to bring former lawyers on boardf and contract for office space. But the partnershio decided it will be wortythe investment, said Kenneth Van Winkl e Jr., managing partner of the 210-attorneyg firm. “You have to do a gut check on thecapital outlay,” said Van Winkle. But the firm expectse the move will result ina long-tern gain. “It was an opportunity to get in here.
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