DLA Piper expands its Intellectual Property & Technology practice with the addition of Melissa Harwood, Ph.D. in Seattle

DLA Piper is expanding its Intellectual Property & Technology practice with the arrival of Melissa Harwood as partner in the firm’s Seattle office. Harwood will be part of the Intellectual Property & Technology practice’s Patent Prosecution subgroup.

Harwood focuses her practice on strategic intellectual property counseling as well as patent due diligence for partnering deals, venture financings, public offerings and mergers & acquisitions. Notable key matters she has handled include representing: a biotechnology company in a US$100 million asset acquisition; a biotechnology company in a US$177 million IPO; investors in IP due diligence for a biotechnology company’s US$270 million Series A round of financing; and underwriters in IP due diligence for a biotechnology company’s US$80 million IPO.

Her practice also encompasses strategic patent counseling for clients in the biotechnology, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries, including patent portfolio development and management, opinion preparation, and patentability, non-infringement, and freedom-to-operate analyses. Harwood advises private and public companies at all stages of development from proof of concept to regulatory approval and product launch.

Harwood also has extensive experience litigating patent matters in federal court and before the US Patent and Trademark Office, including inter partes review (IPR) and reexamination proceedings. In addition to working closely with litigation counsel, Harwood works closely with licensing, corporate and regulatory counsel, providing her clients with comprehensive IP representation.

“Melissa’s extensive experience in IP and technology will complement our Life Sciences sector, which is an area of strategic growth for the firm, particularly in support of deal work involving M&A, venture capital and capital markets,” said Mark Fowler, global co-leader of the firm’s Intellectual Property and Technology practice.

DLA Piper's global Technology sector lawyers work across practice areas and offices to support technology clients – from startups to fast-growing and mid-market businesses to mature global enterprises – doing business around the world.