Overview
Katya Ascher focuses her practice on patent law issues in litigation and transactional matters across technology sectors. She has over a decade of experience counseling clients in the United States, France, and the United Kingdom. Her clients include mid-sized companies and start-ups, operating in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device, and engineering fields.
She regularly negotiates every type of agreement associated with technology transfer and research and development and has particular experience in challenges posed by public-private partnerships. She spent the first five years of her career as an associate in one of the top New York intellectual property boutiques where she litigated cases in district court and the International Trade Commission and advised clients on patent validity and infringement. She subsequently worked as the intellectual property counsel in a French research foundation and as a solicitor in the Life Sciences department of a UK law firm.
Before studying law, Katya gained technical experience as an intern in a genomic research laboratory of a major biotechnology company.
Results
- Advised a major UK university on intellectual property aspects of a US$100 million investment by a pharmaceutics company into an early stage therapeutics company*
- Drafted and negotiated research and development, option, and exclusive license agreements between a spin-out company and university in the field of CAR-T therapy*
- Analyzed EPO and USPTO file histories and prior art in order to develop invalidity arguments in the context of patent infringement litigation*
- Drafted and negotiated exclusive license, sub-license, and manufacture and supply agreements in the fields of pharmaceutics*
- Drafted and negotiated clinical trial agreements*
*Matter handled prior to joining McDermott
Credentials
Education
University of Paris II Panthéon-Assas, Master 2 Industrial Property, 2012
University of North Carolina School of Law, JD, with honors, 2005
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, BA, Biology, with distinction, 2002
Admissions
England and Wales (Nonpracticing Solicitor)
New York
Paris
Languages
English
French
Russian
