Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP is pleased to announce that Jaime Choi, Ph.D. has joined the firm as a partner in the Intellectual Property practice group in its San Diego (Del Mar) office. Choi was most recently with Snell & Wilmer where she was co-chair of the Life Sciences and Medical Technology industry group.
Choi focuses her practice on patent prosecution. She brings to Sheppard Mullin nearly two decades of experience developing global IP portfolios, preparing opinions and performing product clearance for clients spanning the life sciences and high technology sectors, such as bioinformatics, medical devices, robotics, microfluidics, semiconductor fabrication, digital signal processing, photonics, advanced imaging, optics and spectroscopy, and fabrication of complex materials and devices that use them. Choi works closely with M&A teams on IP due diligence aspects of transactions, as well as providing critical guidance to litigation teams. She also has represented international clients in drafting applications for direct filing in the European Patent Office, prosecuting European, U.S. and international patent applications, performing freedom-to-operate and infringement analyses of third-party patents and advising on U.S. contractual issues.
“Jaime’s multidisciplinary skillset across patent prosecution and portfolio development, M&A due diligence and litigation disputes will benefit our clients across a range of practices,” said Luca Salvi, chair of Sheppard Mullin. “Bringing Jaime on board will continue our strong growth in the life sciences sector, which continues to be a priority for us.”
Daniel Yannuzzi, co-leader of Sheppard Mullin’s Intellectual Property practice group, added, “We are delighted to welcome Jaime. Within our practice, we have a strong life sciences and technology contingents, complemented by exceptional interdisciplinary technical capabilities, including diagnostics and bioinformatics. Jaime’s expertise will undoubtedly augment the scope of our client service capabilities and further strengthen our ability to collaborate with some of the most innovative companies worldwide.”
“We look forward to expanding our life sciences footprint in Southern California,” added Scott Liebman, co-leader of the firm’s Life Sciences industry team. “Jaime’s robust knowledge and experience in this field will provide our clients with the expertise they need to achieve their business objectives.”
Choi is admitted to practice before the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. She received her B.A. in Chemistry from Rice University, her Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and her J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law.
Also this week, Sheppard Mullin announced that Healthcare partner Megan Rooney joined in Chicago.
About Sheppard Mullin’s Intellectual Property Practice Group
Sheppard Mullin is a leader in the protection of intellectual property rights, as well as in assisting our clients to exploit their commercial potential. The group has significant expertise in all laws governing patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, false advertising, unfair competition, counterfeiting and grey marketing. We also possess significant experience litigating in common forums for patent litigation, including in California, Delaware and the Eastern District of Texas, as well as before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board in inter partes review proceedings. Our prosecution and counseling team develops global IP portfolios, prepares opinions and performs product clearance. We perform IP due diligence for investors and acquirers of target IP. Our diverse client base ranges from Fortune 50 and multinational corporations to innovative start-ups and individuals across a wide spectrum of industries. Sheppard Mullin’s IP practice and partners are often recognized by Chambers, IAM Patent 1000, Managing IP, World Trademark Review, U.S. News and Best Lawyers, Law360 and The Daily Journal, among others.
About Sheppard Mullin’s Life Sciences Industry Team
Sheppard Mullin’s Life Sciences industry team represents a diverse client base in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device, diagnostic, digital health and medtech sectors, ranging from large publicly traded organizations to early and mid-stage start-up companies. Attorneys in the U.S., and internationally through our offices in London, Brussels, Seoul and Shanghai, assist companies with strategic issues in every phase of their growth cycle. Our team is comprised of a number of attorneys, patent agents and scientific advisors who possess hands-on research experience and advanced degrees, including in the areas of biochemistry, cell biology, chemistry, molecular biology, pharmacology and biomedical engineering, to fully support the legal needs of our clients.