Harter Secrest & Emery LLP, a full-service business law firm with offices throughout New York, announced that Anne F. Downey, a leading intellectual property attorney, has joined the firm as a partner. She was most recently a partner at Hodgson Russ.
“Anne’s knowledge and experience in intellectual property law is exceptional and will be a tremendous asset to our clients,” said Harter Secrest & Emery Managing Partner Craig S. Wittlin. “Our Intellectual Property team continues to distinguish itself, in Buffalo and across New York State, as an industry leader. Adding another established and respected practitioner like Anne further strengthens our ability to serve clients of every size in managing and protecting intellectual property assets.”
An attorney with more than 30 years’ experience, Downey advises clients on intellectual property protection strategies, focusing on the availability, protection and proper use of trademarks. She prepares and prosecutes domestic and international trademark and copyright applications, and helps clients manage their trademark registrations and enforcement activities. In addition, Downey advises clients on trade secrets, licenses, e-commerce issues, software matters, privacy and data protection, intellectual property disputes and settlements, and intellectual property issues related to mergers and acquisitions.
A cum laude graduate of the University of California at San Diego, Downey earned her law degree, summa cum laude, from the O.W. Coburn School of Law at Oral Roberts University. She is a past Co-Chair of the Erie County Bar Association Intellectual Property Law Committee, a frequent author and speaker on intellectual property law, and a former adjunct professor at Hilbert College.
“I am thrilled with the opportunity to transition my practice to Harter Secrest & Emery,” said Downey. “The firm’s commitment to putting client needs first aligns perfectly with how I serve my clients each and every day. I am looking forward to collaborating with my new Harter Secrest & Emery colleagues to leverage this platform and commitment to benefit my client’s needs and operations.”
The addition of Downey continues Harter Secrest & Emery’s pronounced growth in Buffalo, where the firm now has 30 attorneys in its Fountain Plaza office. In just the past two years, Harter Secrest & Emery has added 12 attorneys in Buffalo, including partners Michael J. Berchou and Rowland Richards in the Intellectual Property practice, Patrick M. Tomovic in the Insurance Coverage practice, and Sheldon K. Smith in the Litigation practice, and senior level associates from large markets and prestigious law firms.
“Our strength is in the quality of our people, who are second to none, and Anne is a wonderful addition to our firm and our office,” said John G. Horn, partner in charge of Harter Secrest & Emery’s Buffalo office. “We believe that growth is client-driven, and not numbers-driven. As a firm, we try to create and promote a compelling environment that allows our attorneys to do what they do best – deliver results for our clients. Attracting superior talent at all levels of the firm is in keeping with that focus.”
The Harter Secrest & Emery Intellectual Property practice group provides comprehensive intellectual property legal services to clients throughout the United States and in foreign countries. The group assists clients in building and maintaining intellectual property portfolios including patents, trademarks, trade secrets, and copyrights, and has extensive experience negotiating and drafting licensing agreements, and serving as lead counsel in complex patent and other intellectual property litigation. In addition, the Intellectual Property practice group provides strategic counseling to clients on assessing potential threats and avoiding conflicts with third parties. The group’s clients operate across a wide spectrum of industries and technologies, including manufacturing, retail, consumer goods, office products, and high technology and range from Fortune 500 corporations, major motion picture studios, and investors, to start-up ventures, entrepreneurs, and individual inventors.
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