Law Firm Adds Extensive Biotech and Pharmaceutical Related Legal Expertise to
Assist and Advise Clients in Creating, Defending and Commercializing
Advancements in Biotechnology
DALLAS, Oct. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Winstead Sechrest & Minick P.C. announced
today the launch of a full-service biotechnology practice and the addition of
four new biotech and pharma legal experts. Winstead's Biotechnology Practice
Group, along with today's new additions, are dedicated to supporting the
corporate legal needs of clients involved in the bio-medicine, bio-science,
medical devices, nanobiotech and pharmaceutical industries.
The new practice leverages the vast proficiency Winstead has developed
over the last several years in supporting various clients in the
biotechnology, life science, nanotechnology and information technology
industries. The team of highly-skilled professionals will provide business
and legal acumen and guidance to start-ups, corporations, entrepreneurs,
inventors, universities and venture capitalists who want to create, fund,
commercialize and launch their biotech and pharma discoveries to worldwide
markets.
"For the past several years, Winstead's lawyers have helped numerous
biotech companies grow from the initial start-up phase, through public and
private financings, licensing and partnership agreements, protecting and
exploiting IP assets, to mergers and acquisitions and exit strategies," said
W. Mike Baggett, chairman and CEO of Winstead. "Today's announcement is
intended to inform the biotechnology and pharmaceutical communities of our
already developed expertise and concerted focus and dedication to assisting
clients with their legal needs."
Serving as chair of the new Biotechnology Practice is Jeff Harder, a
25-year legal veteran and authority on the biotechnology industry who joined
the firm in May 2004. He has served in private practice and as in-house
counsel, and has represented numerous biotech, life science and technology
companies in a variety of complex corporate matters.
Harder will lead a team of approximately 30 biotech and legal
professionals, a number of whom possess Ph.D.s and extensive knowledge and
background in various scientific disciplines, including biochemistry,
genetics, and organic chemistry. Harder and the new members will fortify the
firm's ability to guide biotechnology clients through the highly competitive
industry. Team members also have proven experience in supporting
biotechnology clients in a variety of legal matters, including raising
hundreds of millions of dollars in funding through IPOs, subsequent public
offerings and private placements, building biotechnology patent portfolios,
forming strategic alliances and partnerships and taking new ideas through the
challenges of product development, patent and FDA approval and regulatory
endorsement.
"Turning scientific discovery into commercial success is never easy," said
Harder. "The risks and challenges that biotech companies face in developing
new technologies are huge -- but so are the potential rewards. Our team of
professionals has assisted numerous biotech companies achieve success, from
helping build a fully-integrated biotechnology company from a university spin-
off, to offering advice on raising money to exploit a client's invention, to
securing new opportunities to transfer and license the invention."
In addition to the biotech practice group launch, Winstead also announces
new biotechnology experts joining the firm. They include three attorneys:
Carol M. Nielsen, Dr. Melissa D. Schwaller, and Dr. Mark S. Solomon, and a
patent agent, Dr. Rudeina A. Baasiri.
Nielsen joins Winstead as a Shareholder and will be located in the firm's
Houston office. Prior to Winstead, she practiced law at Gardere Wynne Sewell
LLP, where she represented clients in all areas of IP law including
litigation, licensing, patent prosecution, patent infringement and the
procurement and maintenance of IP rights. Her practice has a special emphasis
in pharmaceutical and chemical arts and she has represented clients in the
drug, medical device, chemical, petrochemical and environmental industries.
Nielsen is admitted to practice before the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office,
U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Texas and
Illinois and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh and Federal Circuits.
She is a member of the State Bar of Texas and Illinois.
Joining Winstead as associates are Schwaller and Solomon, both possessing
Ph.D.s and extensive scientific and technical backgrounds.
Schwaller, located in the firm's Dallas office, has a Ph.D. in
biochemistry from Baylor College of Medicine, where her doctoral research
involved the study of thiol-disulfide mechanisms, enzymology and protein
folding. She received her law degree from the University of Houston Law
Center and is admitted to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark
office. Prior to Winstead, Dr. Schwaller served as a patent agent and
technical advisor for Fulbright & Jaworski, LLP before attending law school.
Dr. Solomon is based in the firm's Houston office. He received his law
degree from South Texas College of Law (summa cum laude), and his Ph.D. in
organic chemistry from Emory University, where his doctoral research involved
novel synthetic methodology for the preparation of target pharmaceutical
compounds. He is the recipient of three U.S. patents for chemical process
inventions. Prior to joining the firm he served the Houston law firm of
Moser, Patterson & Sheridan, LLP in patent preparation and prosecution, and
served as a chemical expert for Bayer Corporation. He is a member of the
State Bar of Texas and is also admitted to practice before the U.S. Patent &
Trademark Office and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of
Texas.
Dr. Baasiri joins Winstead as a patent agent in the Biotechnology Practice
and is also based in the firm's Houston office. She received her Ph.D. in
microbiology and molecular plant pathology from Texas A&M University and has
research expertise in the fields of molecular genetics, microbiology, plant
sciences, cell biology and bioinformatics. She comes to Winstead from Gardere
Wynne Sewell LLP, where she served as a patent agent and provided patent
support to Nielsen and various firm clients. Prior to joining Gardere, Dr.
Baasiri was a scientific advisor in the General Counsel Office at Baylor
College of Medicine. She is admitted to practice before the U.S. Patent &
Trademark Office.
Winstead also announced recently that Daniel F. Perez, one of Texas' top
IP litigators, joined the firm as a Shareholder and member of its IP
Litigation Practice.
"Winstead is dedicated to advancing its position both regionally and
nationally as a leader in the highly competitive biotechnology industry, and
adding Dan, Carol, Melissa, Mark and Rudeina will help us do just that," said
Kelly Kordzik, Chair of Winstead's IP Section. "On behalf of Winstead and the
entire Biotechnology Practice and IP Section, I would like to welcome them to
the firm."
Winstead Sechrest & Minick is among the largest business law firms in
Texas with more than 320 attorneys and 30 practice areas. Winstead has
offices in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and The Woodlands,
Texas, Washington D.C., and Mexico City. For detailed information about the
firm, visit http://www.winstead.com .
SOURCE Winstead Sechrest & Minick P.C.
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Related links:
http://www.winstead.com
CONTACT:
Joey D. Mooring of Winstead Sechrest & Minick
P.C., +1-214-745-5308, or jmooring@winstead.com ; or Lori Goggan,
+1-713-970-2100, or lori@vollmerpr.com , for Winstead Sechrest &
Minick P.C.
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