Drinker Biddle Adds Intellectual Property Team in Denver

Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP today announced that Timothy B. Scull, Kirstin L. Stoll-DeBell, Andrew T. Pouzeshi and Kathleen E. Ott have joined the firm as partners in its Intellectual Property practice. The group comes to Drinker Biddle from Merchant & Gould P.C.

The team is primarily engaged in all aspects of patent law, including patent prosecution, patent litigation and complex patent portfolio analysis, with significant experience in the computer software, hardware and medical device sectors.

“Tim, Kirstin, Andy and Kathy are four accomplished intellectual property lawyers with sophisticated technical experience,” said Andrew C. Kassner, Drinker Biddle’s chairman and CEO. “We are pleased to welcome this highly regarded team during a transformative time for Drinker Biddle. They expand our strong national IP practice and bring immediate value to our clients.”

Timothy B. Scull’s practice centers on patent prosecution, patent analysis and trademark work, primarily in the software and information technology industries, as well as on computer architecture-related projects. Much of his practice involves complex patent portfolio analysis and strategic prosecution directed at monetizing clients’ patent assets. Scull received his Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Colorado State University and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Colorado School of Law. Prior to law school, he worked as a design engineer for General Motors.

Kirstin L. Stoll-DeBell has more than 20 years of experience litigating patents and trademarks. More recently, she has focused her practice on patent analysis related to patent litigation and licensing, as well as on related patent prosecution. Her work is largely in the software and information technology industries, but also addresses semiconductor circuit design and processing, cellphones, and other chemical and mechanical inventions. Stoll-DeBell negotiates and drafts patent, trademark and trade secret licensing agreements, and she files and prosecutes trademark and patent applications. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder and her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Colorado School of Law.

Andrew T. Pouzeshi focuses his practice on patent prosecution, and patent analysis work, primarily in the software and information technology industries, including computer software and hardware, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, telecommunications, medical devices, robotics and financial services. He has deep experience in all aspects of software, including operating systems, security and encryption, user experience, and software-as-a-service. Pouzeshi earned his Bachelor of Science degree, with honors, from the University of Colorado at Boulder and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Colorado School of Law.

Kathleen E. Ott works on analyzing patents and protecting innovations for her software, medical device and pharmaceutical clients. Over the past decade, she has evaluated thousands of patents, drafted nearly 50 opinions of counsel, and guided her clients in patent portfolio strategy and management. From the inception of the America Invents Act, she has represented clients in post-grant proceedings. Ott graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, where she was admitted into the Order of St. Ives.

Francis DiGiovanni and Robert L. Stoll, co-chairs of the firm’s Intellectual Property practice, said in a joint statement, “Tim, Kirstin, Andy and Kathy have well-established reputations for developing global patent protection strategies for large clients with complex issues. In particular, their collective experience in the technology sector, which continues to be a significant area of growth for Drinker Biddle, builds on our national platform. They have worked very successfully as a team for decades, and this collaborative approach makes them a great fit for our firm.”

Scull noted that, “Our team is excited to join Drinker Biddle at the time of this combination with Faegre Baker Daniels. Everyone we have met at the two firms has confirmed for us that their cultures and values match perfectly with one another, and with our own. The intellectual property practices of each firm are of the highest quality. Together, it will be a formidable group that we are thrilled to be a part of.”

More than 50 lawyers strong and recognized for excellence by Chambers USA, Drinker Biddle’s Intellectual Property group works to help clients identify, protect and leverage the value of their intellectual assets. The full-service team comprises litigators, transactional lawyers, registered patent attorneys, and counselors with extensive experience in government and a wide range of industries and scientific disciplines. The firm’s patent, trademark and copyright teams work together seamlessly to handle any intellectual property issue that arises, partnering with clients to develop their desired outcomes and conceive and execute strategies to reach their goals.