Drinker Biddle And Murgitroyd Announce Cross-Atlantic Intellectual Property Alliance

PHILADELPHIA, PA (May 30, 2002) — The full service U.S. firm Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP and the European intellectual property firm Murgitroyd & Co. announced today that they have established a Cross-Atlantic strategic alliance.  The two law firms will collaborate closely in providing intellectual property counseling and services to their clients across Europe and in the U.S.  These services will include patent, trademark, and other intellectual property representations in the UK and Ireland, before the European Patent Office and the European Community Trade Mark Office, and before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

“While this alliance is an exciting one for both of our firms, the real benefits will go to our clients,” stated James M. Sweet, Chairman of Drinker Biddle. “The excellent relationship that we have enjoyed with Murgitroyd for the past 2 years has become official, assuring clients of both our firms that they are receiving the best services possible to address their intellectual property needs in some of the biggest markets in the world.”

Ian Murgitroyd, Director of Murgitroyd added “This mutually beneficial relationship will give Murgitroyd's clients the security of knowing that their IP needs in the United States are being met and monitored by leading attorneys in that country.  In return, Drinker’s clients can rely on us to handle their IP needs in the regions that our people know best.”

Murgitroyd provides services in intellectual property including:

Filing and prosecuting patent applications before the UK, Irish, and French national patent offices, and in the European Patent Office;

Filing and prosecuting trademark applications before the UK Trade Marks Registry and before the European Community Trade Mark Office;

Filing and prosecuting design registrations before the UK Design Registry;

Record keeping (docketing) for key dates related to pending applications, issued patents, and registered trademarks;

Advising clients on copyright issues; and

Providing ancillary services such as litigation support, licensing, and transfer of patent and trademarks, as well as patent and trademark searches, technical translations, and illustrations.

Drinker Biddle provides a full range of intellectual property services, including:

Preparing, filing, and prosecuting patent applications before the United States Patent and Trademark Office;

Prosecuting and defending matters involving trademarks, service marks, trade dress, and trade names;

Providing legal advice about how to protect copyrights, including notice, registration, and deposit, and how to avoid infringing the copyrights of others;

Litigating patent, trademark, and copyright infringement, unfair competition, and trademark dilution matters in the federal courts nationwide;

Protecting and transferring biotechnology, computer software, and other forms of proprietary material, including licensing, joint ventures, and related transactions;

Counseling clients on matters pending before the United States Congress that could affect intellectual property rights and participating in developing and presenting views to congressional committees and individual members of Congress.

Murgitroyd & Co. (www.murgitroyd.com) is a 27 year-old patent and trademark practice that provides intellectual property related services both across Europe and worldwide.  Murgitroyd employs approximately 110 people, approximately 40 of whom are qualified or training to be UK and European patent and trademark agents. Based in Glasgow, with offices in Aberdeen, Belfast, Dublin, London, Munich, and Nice, its clients range from large multi-national corporations to individual inventors.