Client Services / Intellectual Property / Energy and Chemicals - IP

Energy and Chemicals - IP

The IP energy and chemicals practice at McDermott Will & Emery provides effective, responsive intellectual property portfolio protection, management and transaction counsel to domestic and international clients in the energy, biochemical, chemicals and clean technology industries.  The real-world technical experience of our attorneys, paralegals and scientific advisors, our extensive knowledge of patent law, and our long history as trial lawyers and litigators enable us to provide unparalleled IP counsel and services to our clients.

Our attorneys represent a range of companies in the energy and chemicals industries for which new technologies, processes, compositions and other forms of intellectual property are key areas of investment.  We understand the risks inherent in research activities, and work closely with clients to ensure that their intellectual and creative assets are protected at every step in their development.  At the same time, we recognize that current economic pressures have created incentives for economies of scale and focused deployment of resources through strategic collaborations with business allies and former competitors alike.  We provide intelligent advice to clients entering into partnerships, joint ventures and other alliances to ensure that ownership of intellectual property is clearly identified, that confidential information and data are well protected, and that breaches of trade-secret and confidentiality agreements are addressed quickly and effectively.

When intellectual property disputes arise, our experienced team of IP litigators provides effective, aggressive representation that ties dispute resolution strategy to our clients’ long-term objectives.  We understand that, in many cases, corporate relationships will continue long after a disagreement is resolved, and make every effort to turn business disputes into business opportunities.

Our clients include large, multinational corporations, mid-sized businesses, startup companies and entrepreneurs in a broad range of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and specialty chemicals, medical devices and biotechnology.  In addition, we represent companies engaged in the production, refining and distribution of energy derived from traditional hydrocarbon-based fuels as well as from alternative and renewable energy sources.

We provide full-service legal counsel in the following areas of focus:

  • Evaluation, audits and management of global, integrated patent and intellectual property portfolios
  • Freedom-to-operate studies
  • Patent prosecution and protection in U.S. and foreign jurisdictions
  • Development and implementation of protocols and strategic initiatives to fully exploit patents, trade secrets, proprietary information and other intellectual assets
  • Intellectual property transactions, including sales, purchases, licensing and joint ventures
  • IP due diligence in connection with mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and restructurings
  • Litigation and dispute resolution before the U.S. federal courts, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (including re-examinations, interferences and reissues), the International Trade Commission, arbitration panels, and other international regulatory agencies

Based in McDermott’s Houston office, the group draws on the skills of team members in virtually all of the Firm’s offices throughout the United States and in global businesses centers abroad, including Brussels, London, Rome and Munich.   We are also allied with MWE China Law Offices in Shanghai, further enabling us to assist clients seeking opportunities in the United States from this rapidly developing marketplace.

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Intellectual Property Client Services

McDermott Will & Emery

McDermott Will and Emery