Andrews Kurth Acquires Intellectual Property Team Expanding National Technology Practice

WASHINGTON -- Andrews Kurth's latest in a series of strategic acquisitions focuses on strengthening its national technology practice by acquiring an experienced six-person Patent Team in its Washington, D.C. office. This follows Brobeck's Austin Business and Technology Group, consisting of 9 lawyers, and an Intellectual Property trial lawyer joining the firm’s Austin office earlier this year. More recently, a Corporate Team from Arter & Hadden, consisting of 15 lawyers, joined the Dallas office strengthening the firm's overall corporate and technology practice. "It’s about serving our clients. We joined a firm that is on the hunt and is successfully acquiring the best talent to serve the top technology companies," says Aldo Noto, former Dorsey & Whitney partner.

The latest move brings an established and prominent patent group from Dorsey & Whitney, recently rated # 2 in software and #4 in electrical patents by a leading industry journal. "Broadening and deepening our intellectual property and technology capabilities in our Washington office was the highest priority," says Rich Green, managing partner of the D.C. office.

Andrews Kurth's new D.C. Patent Group includes Aldo Noto, Frederick Frei, and John Harrop, joining the firm as partners, and associates Sean Wooden, Kelly Lee and patent agent Dr. Michael Ye. The new group focuses on patent procurement, acquisition, and exploitation including licensing and other technology transactions and infringement litigation before Federal Courts and the U.S. International Trade Commission. Their practice includes high tech work in the areas of computer hardware and software, semiconductors, electrical devices, multimedia, defense, communications, bioinformatics, biotechnology, nanotechnology, and medical devices.

"Adding a patent group in our Washington, D.C. office was a strategic priority to round-out our national technology practice group," says Howard Ayers managing partner of the firm. The acquisition brings the number of Andrews Kurth attorneys to over 400.

Andrews & Kurth L.L.P., founded in 1902, is headquartered in Houston, has over 400 lawyers and additional offices in Austin, Dallas, The Woodlands, Los Angeles, London, New York and Washington, D.C. The firm has an international clientele and broad industry experience, particularly in the areas of energy, finance, technology, real estate, tax, litigation, labor, health care and many others.