EIP has expanded the team at its San Diego, California office with the hire of two experienced patent attorneys.
Partner Mallary de Merlier is a Registered U.S. Patent Attorney with almost 15 years’ experience in IP for the biotechnology and medical device industries. She joined EIP from a position as partner at the San Diego office of Knobbe Martens.
Mallary is the second partner hired at the San Diego office since it opened in May 2013, when EIP became the first UK IP law firm to open a US law office.
Senior associate Ankur Garg joined EIP from global semiconductor company Qualcomm where he was associate patent counsel responsible for managing the company’s IP strategy and prosecuting patent applications. Ankur is a Registered U.S Patent Attorney who also spent four years working at Knobbe Martens.
Partner Phillip Bennett, head of the San Diego office, said: “Mallary, Ankur and I have all worked closely together in the past, and I am excited about having them as part of the team. As a biotech specialist Mallary will broaden EIP’s offering for US clients and alongside our colleagues in Europe will strengthen the international capabilities of the biotech practice, EIP Life. Ankur has a wealth of technical expertise which will complement the skills of our existing attorneys. A year on from the opening of the EIP office in San Diego we have enjoyed rapid growth and the team now numbers seven attorneys, with further recruitment planned.”
Mallary has represented clients in a variety of fields including immunology, molecular biology, pharmaceuticals, blood purification, nutraceuticals, diagnostics, and medical devices such as infusers, catheter assemblies and orthopaedic braces.
Ankur’s areas of expertise cover a wide range of technology areas including wireless communications, web technologies, display devices and medical devices.