Lippes Mathias today announced the addition of an integrated group of four attorneys, Tony V. Pezzano, Matthew D. Asbell, David C. Johnson, and Chintan A. Desai, who have worked cohesively together over the past several years from the law offices of Offit Kurman and are well-respected nationally and internationally for their proficiency in intellectual property matters. Through the infusion of the group’s integrated and versatile capabilities in areas like patent, trademark, domain name and copyright litigation, including federal district court bench and jury trials, International Trade Commission (ITC) Section 337 Hearings, the Hatch-Waxman Act, proceedings before the United States Patent and Trademark Office as well as domestic and international prosecution, transactions, enforcement and defense, Lippes Mathias’ intellectual property practice is now better able to serve its clients across the full spectrum of intellectual property matters.

Lippes Mathias’ intellectual property team is now more than 30 attorneys strong.

“Based on our activity in the last 18 months, it’s easy to see that we’ve put a strong focus on growing our intellectual property team,” Kevin J. Cross, Lippes Mathias’ managing partner and chairman, said. “As well as being good fits for our firm from a culture perspective, the addition of Tony, Matthew, David, and Chintan takes us to a place where we feel comfortable handling any IP matter, and that’s something we’re very proud of.”

The four attorneys will join Lippes Mathias as part of its newly unveiled New York City office at the Graybar Building on 420 Lexington Ave., which is triple the size of the firm’s previous space in the city and features increased conference room space.

In his over 30-year career as a patent litigator, Tony Pezzano has successfully tried cases involving technology innovation across a diverse range of industries—particularly consumer, recreational, and pharmaceutical products; chemical and petroleum products and processes; wireless telecommunication devices and equipment; computer software, hardware, and systems; video and audio broadcast equipment, systems, and networks; and printing engines and systems. He has appeared in numerous federal district court trials, including both bench and jury trials, and International Trade Commission (ITC) Section 337 Hearings. One of Pezzano’s major areas of focus has been his representation of brand pharmaceutical companies in suits against generic drug companies under the Hatch-Waxman Act. He has served as lead counsel for brand pharmaceutical companies in over two dozen filed Hatch-Waxman cases involving antibiotic, antifungal, treatment of asthma, treatment of male pattern baldness, anti-organ transplant rejection, and antiviral and anti-coagulant drug products. Another major focus has been his practice in ITC Section 337 investigations where he has successfully represented both Complainants and Respondents in investigations involving biologics, SeaDoos/WaveRunners, wireless communication devices, including mobile phones and tablets, computer routers and Segway/hoverboards. Few attorneys, if any, can match Pezzano’s record of obtaining numerous temporary restraining orders, preliminary and permanent injunctions in federal district court cases as well as exclusion, cease and desist and consent orders and default judgments in ITC Section 337 investigations. Pezzano is Past President (2009) of the ITC Trial Lawyers Association and graduated from the Hofstra University School of Law with his J.D. and received his B.S. from Columbia University.

With extensive knowledge and background in information technology, entertainment, medicine, and a range of other fields, Matthew Asbell, a partner, is able to work comfortably and efficiently with clients in diverse industries. He assists clients in clearing, obtaining, enforcing, and defending trademark, design and utility patent, and copyright rights in the United States and throughout the world. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Asbell developed a broad base of knowledge and expertise in roles he held across various industries, managing emerging singer-songwriters and recording artists, training corporate employees in software applications, and at one point, studying medicine at the Medical College of Pennsylvania and Hahnemann University School of Medicine. Asbell received his J.D. from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in 2007, and in 1993, graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with his B.S. in Psychology and a minor in music.

David Johnson focuses his practice on helping businesses manage complex brand issues through intellectual property strategies, prosecution, and enforcement. His clients have ranged from pre-launch startups to Fortune 100 companies. He works on a variety of branding and technology-related matters, including social media and advertising, marketing, privacy, product and packaging claims review, and intellectual property transactions. Johnson draws on his in-house legal and business experience to help clients plan their long-term business goals and tolerances for risk in strategically managing, building, and protecting multinational intellectual property portfolios. He also has experience guiding clients through a wide range of commercial transactions including IP acquisitions and licensing, influencer engagements, and publishing agreements. Johnson advises influencers, and brands working with influencers, on their disclosure requirements, licensing, merchandising, and engagement agreements. Additionally, in his consumer privacy practice, Johnson counsels clients on the development of privacy compliance programs, privacy notices, contract remediation, and other issues related to obligations under U.S. privacy laws and the extraterritorial aspects of international privacy laws affecting U.S. businesses. Johnson graduated with his J.D. from William & Mary Law School and received his B.A. in international studies from Johns Hopkins University.

Chintan Desai focuses his practice on all phases of patent procurement, trademark prosecution, counseling, transactions and litigation. He represents a broad range of clients, from individual business owners to publicly traded companies, in domestic and international matters. Before entering the field of law, Desai was a clinical research study coordinator at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania where he facilitated interaction and collaboration between community, government, and industry stakeholders in several community health research studies. He is a graduate of Rutgers University School of Law and attended undergraduate school at the University of Pennsylvania, where he received a B.S. in bioengineering and a minor in math. Desai is a member of both the South Asian Bar Association of New Jersey and the Asian Pacific American Lawyers Association of New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Lippes Mathias made headlines in 2023 when it added 20 intellectual attorneys by combining with Fay Sharpe LLP, a 138-year-old intellectual property boutique located in Cleveland, Ohio. The firm now has more than 30 IP attorneys with highly skilled technical backgrounds, including advanced degrees across a wide variety of disciplines encompassing electrical engineering, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, biomedical engineering, civil engineering, computer science and environmental science.  The firm’s attorneys are admitted to the bars throughout the country, and its attorneys and agents include former USPTO examiners and fluent speakers of non-English languages, including Mandarin.  The firm also recently welcomed Mitchell R. Ghaneie, a partner, and Josephine Chen, a registered patent agent, as members of its IP team in its Jacksonville, Florida office.