Tia D. Fenton and Christopher Ricciuti have joined Duane Morris LLP as partners in the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice Group in its Washington, D.C. office. Prior to joining Duane Morris, Ricciuti and Fenton were partners at Oblon, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt, L.L.P.
“Our Intellectual Property capabilities are exceptionally strong for an Am Law 100 firm and we have a premier practice supporting clients with very well-known names on significant, bet-the-company matters. We are focused on adding marquee talent to this practice group and the three outstanding partners who have joined Duane Morris in 2023 really accelerate our position,” said Duane Morris Chairman and CEO Matthew A. Taylor. “Both Tia and Chris, along with Agatha H. Liu in Silicon Valley who joined us earlier this month, will contribute distinct experience and knowledge, and we are so pleased to welcome them to Duane Morris.”
“We continue to attract talented lateral partners to our growing Intellectual Practice Group, most recently this east coast-based team. Tia is a skilled scientist and litigator, both are thought leaders, and Chris has broad technology, patent litigation and PTAB experience; together, they immediately add to our industry-leading patent litigation capabilities in Washington,” said Louis Norwood “Woody” Jameson, chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice Group.
“We have a strong intellectual property capability resident in Washington and we are thrilled to add two partners with such robust patent litigation, IPR and counseling experience,” said Patrick D. McPherson, managing partner of the firm’s Washington, D.C. office.
With a background in chemistry, biochemistry and genetics, Tia D. Fenton focuses her practice primarily on chemical, biochemical, biomedical and pharmaceutical cases. Prior to attending law school, Fenton worked as a forensic DNA analyst at Cellmark Diagnostics, Inc., and as a forensic DNA Examiner at the Department of Defense's Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory, serving as an expert witness in DNA identification testing for approximately four years and testifying in numerous trials throughout the country. She is also experienced in lecturing scientists and graduate students on the presentation and effective use of scientific and technical evidence in the courtroom. Fenton's extensive trial and testimony experience provides her with a unique perspective on litigation, including particular skills in preparing expert witnesses for depositions and trial and presenting technical evidence to juries as well as judges. In addition to litigating cases in district court and before the Federal Circuit, Fenton represents both domestic and foreign companies in a full range of complex patent matters. She routinely advises clients on litigation procedure and strategies, litigation avoidance, and the overall protection and enforcement of patent portfolios. Fenton also has experience in post-grant proceedings, as well as prosecution-related matters in the chemical, medical device and pharmaceutical areas. She also has experience litigating and counseling clients on the strategic use of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) post-grant proceedings in conjunction with the district court.
Fenton is a graduate of the George Mason University School of Law (J.D., 2004), Marshall University (M.S., 1998) and Wheeling Jesuit University (B.S., 1998).
Christopher Ricciuti focuses his practice on litigating mechanical, electrical and computer software patents in federal courts, along with pursuing and defending against patent validity challenges before the USPTO. He regularly practices at the confluence of district court litigation and trial proceedings at the USPTO, including inter partes review trials. Ricciuti is recognized as a leading practitioner in post-grant proceedings at the USPTO, where he has been named as counsel on over 70 individual matters. In addition to litigating cases in the federal district courts, USPTO and handling Federal Circuit appeals, he advises his clients on litigation procedure strategies, litigation avoidance, and the overall protection, exploitation, and enforcement of their patent portfolios. Ricciuti’s experience spans a wide range of technologies including consumer electronics and smartphones, cloud and distributed computing systems, business methods, communication protocols, GPS systems, automotive technologies and automotive manufacturing processes, oilfield services and equipment, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and industrial designs. Prior to attending law school, he worked as a mechanical engineer for DuPont and Air Products and Chemicals.
Ricciuti is a graduate of the Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 2011) and Drexel University (B.S., magna cum laude, 2008).
“The firm’s collegial and collaborative culture really attracted me, along with the firm’s strong and well-established diversity, equity and inclusion program,” said Fenton. “The full service Duane Morris platform and entrepreneurial and collaborative spirit will enhance my practice,” added Ricciuti.
Original source can be found here.