Drinker Biddle Elects Seven New Partners

PHILADELPHIA, PA  (February 12, 2002) — The law firm of Drinker Biddle & Reath is pleased to announce the recent election of seven new partners. Attorneys Mark F. Dever, Lisa Chanow Dykstra, Robert C. Juelke, Melissa L. Klipp, Diana E. McCarthy, Michael W. McTigue Jr. and MaryCatherine Roper were named partners of the firm as of February 1, 2002.

“The election of new partners is one of the most important things that any Partnership does,” said James M. Sweet, Chairman of the firm. “New partners are the firmís future. And, with new partners as strong as these, our future looks bright indeed.”

Mark F. Dever is a partner in the Telecommunications Practice Group of the firm's Business and Finance Department. Mr. Dever advises several clients regarding their participation in the federal government's auctions of wireless and broadcast service spectrum rights, and he has worked extensively on the development and implementation of the FCC's competitive bidding regulations. Since the enactment of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, he also represents clients in the negotiation and arbitration processes implementing local telephone competition directives and in matters affecting exchange access and long distance service rates and policies. Mr. Dever received his undergraduate degree, summa cum laude, in Political Science from Boston College. He earned his J.D. from Duke University School of Law, where he was editor-in-chief of the Duke Journal of Comparative & International Law .

Lisa Dykstra is a partner in the firmís Litigation Department and the White Collar/Corporate Investigations Practice Group. Ms. Dykstraís areas of practice include white collar criminal defense litigation and complex commercial litigation, including products liability and class action litigation. As part of the White Collar/Corporate Investigations Practice Group, Ms. Dykstra represents corporations, directors, officers and other individuals in criminal and civil investigations involving healthcare fraud, securities fraud, and other federal and state crimes. She is a former Assistant United States Attorney, having worked as a prosecutor in the criminal division of the United States Attorneyís office for the District of New Jersey.Ms. Dykstra graduated, cum laude, from New York University with a double major in Russian Language and Literature and Political Science. She received her J.D., cum laude, from Villanova University School of Law where she was managing editor of student work for the Villanova Law Review.

Robert C. Juelke is a partner in the firmís Business and Finance Department. Mr. Juelke focuses his practice primarily on corporate and securities matters, including acquisitions and divestitures, securities offerings, venture capital transactions and the representation of growth companies. He has represented clients in a variety of industries including, financial services, cable television, athletic apparel, retail and healthcare. Mr. Juelke received his undergraduate degree, with distinction, from the University of Virginia. He earned his J.D. from the William and Mary School of Law where he was an executive editor of The William and Mary Law Review.

Melissa L. Klipp is a litigation partner concentrating in Internet and computer law, as well as intellectual property matters involving trademark, trade dress, trade secret and copyright. She litigates intellectual property disputes, as well as Internet-related cases involving domain name and metatag infringement, linking and framing. She counsels clients concerning trademark availability and use, ISP liability, cybersquatting, cyberpiracy, domain name dispute resolution procedures,employer privacy policies and website content and privacy issues. Ms. Klipp received her undergraduate degree in Political Science and International Relations from Dickinson College . She earned her J.D. from the Dickinson School of Law where she served as the symposium editor of the Dickinson Law Review
Diana E. McCarthy is a partner in the Investment Management and the Corporate and Securities Groups of the firmís Business and Finance Department. She joined the firm in 1994 after a one-year judicial clerkship with Judge Raymond Broderick of the United States District Court in Philadelphia. Her investment management practice focuses on representing investment companies, bank and proprietary and non-fund banks and large fund companies. Ms. McCarthy has also handled a number of reorganizations of investment products and acquisitions and mergers of investment companies. Her corporate and securities work includes the mergers and acquisitions and representation of issuers and underwriters in public offerings, as well as tender offers, 144A debt offerings and exchange offers. Ms. McCarthy earned her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Davis. She received her J.D. from Temple University School of Law, magna cum laude, where she was editor-in-chief of the Temple Law Review.

Michael W. McTigue Jr. is a partner in the Litigation Department who represents clients in securities, corporate governance, intellectual property, employment, unfair competition, products liability, appellate and other complex commercial litigation matters. He handles the litigation nationally for one of the countryís leading distributors of laboratory supplies and equipment. Recently, Mr. McTigue successfully defeated national class action suits challenging an intercollegiate initial eligibility athletic rule. Prior to joining the firm, he served as a law clerk to the Honorable Donald W. VanArtsdalen of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Mr. McTigue received his undergraduate degree, cum laude, from University of Pennsylvania. He earned his J.D., cum laude, from Boston University School of Law where he served as Articles Editor of the Boston University Law Review.

MaryCatherine Roperis a partner in the firmís Litigation Department who concentrates her practice in class action defense and litigation involving the telecommunications industry. She also has extensive trial and appellate court experience in products liability, securities, defamation, corporate governance and complex commercial litigation. Prior to joining the firm, she completed a one year judicial clerkship with the Honorable Anita B. Brody of the United States District Court in Philadelphia, and one yearís service with the Disabilities Law Project as the first recipient of the Philadelphia Public Interest Fellowship, a cooperative venture between the public interest and private bars in Philadelphia. Ms. Roper earned her undergraduate degree from Bryn Mawr College and received her J.D., cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.