June 26, 2023 – Procopio’s award-winning intellectual property practice and three of its Partners were named to the 2023 Patent 1000 list by IAM, a leading source of worldwide news, analysis and data on the management of intellectual property. The three recognized attorneys—Noel Gillespie, Jeff Morton and Xiaofan “Frank” Yang—all bring life sciences and medtech clients distinctive backgrounds in providing a wide range of legal services.

Here’s what IAM had to say:

Highly valued for its A-to-Z patent offering, Procopio Cory Hargreaves & Savitch enters the IAM Patent 1000 for the first time this year. Accessible and hands on, its practitioners ensure a top-notch and responsive service at a reasonable price. Noel Gillespie is quick to understand the nuances of technology and designs cohesive and comprehensive patent applications that prove instrumental in the development of patent portfolios. Super-effective patent strategist and wise counsellor Frank Yang protects his clients’ intellectual assets to the hilt and seeks opportunities to put them to business use. Yang has recently been assisting life sciences company Otonomy to obtain crucial patents covering its lead product candidates and clinical programmes in the United States and abroad. Known for his high-level strategic work, Jeffrey Morton is a holistic thinker with abundant experience in creating and managing valuable portfolios for life sciences patrons.

IAM says its Patent 1000 “shines a spotlight on the firms and individuals that are deemed outstanding in the pivotal area of patent law.” The media outlet “undertakes exhaustive qualitative research, identifying top firms and individuals based on their depth of expertise, market presence and sophistication of work. To research the market, IAM conducts in-person, telephone and video interviews and gathers written submissions from firms detailing their recent activity in the field.”

Procopio’s nearly 40 patent prosecution attorneys and patent agents provide clients in the U.S. and around the world a wide range of legal services, including preparation and prosecution of patent applications; worldwide patent procurement; portfolio development and commercialization; audits, due diligence and legal opinions; patent licensing, acquisition and sale; validity, and patentability and infringement studies. They work closely with the firm’s IP Litigation team to ensure end-to-end client legal support. Procopio has been recognized by U.S. News-Best Law Firms® in both Patent Prosecution and Patent Litigation. Procopio’s patent practice has also been recognized by Juristat as one of the fastest-growing practices in the United States.

Noel Gillespie advises emerging and later-stage clients on strategic patent portfolio development and implementation to protect their technology and achieve their business objectives, the most important objectives being market share and premium pricing. He has extensive experience working with telecommunications companies, especially wireless telecommunications companies; digital health, health information technology, and medical devices companies; semiconductor; and software and Internet companies. His approach to patent portfolio development helps his clients ensure their patents guard these important objectives, even on a budget. Noel worked as an electrical engineer for many years, leading teams in the development of man-worn free space optical communication systems and early CDMA cellphones. Noel was recently named a WIPR Intellectual Property leader.

Jeff Morton leads Procopio’s Life Sciences practice and is the co-leader of its Licensing and Technology Transactions practice. He provides strategic intellectual property advice, including patent prosecution, and related transactional support for emerging and mature companies in a wide variety of industries, with a particular focus on life sciences and medical technologies. A PhD immunologist, he has extensive patent experience in technologies including genomics, immunology, and gene editing technologies, and advises on complex freedom-to-operate life sciences issues. Jeff provides cross-border legal advice with Canadian clients, being admitted in both the U.S. and Canada. He has also been named to the IAM Strategy 300 Global Leaders and World-Leading IP Strategists lists, and is recognized in Biotechnology and Life Sciences by Best Lawyers®. Jeff was recently named a WIPR Intellectual Property Leader.

Xiaofan “Frank” Yang provides comprehensive IP strategic counseling to public and private biotechnology, pharmaceutical, digital health and medical device companies. His patent counseling and prosecution experience creates and protects IP assets as primary value propositions for growth enterprises in all stages of business, from proof of concept to clinical development, regulatory approval and product launch. Frank is also experienced in conducting due diligence in complex venture financings, public offerings, partnering/licensing transactions, and mergers and acquisitions. He has a global client base, including companies and investors in U.S., Europe, and Asia. After obtaining his B.S. in polymer chemistry and Ph.D. in organic synthesis, Frank worked as a medicinal chemist in the pharmaceutical industry for more than four years before becoming a patent practitioner in 2006. He is a member of Procopio’s Management Committee.

Procopio attorneys and practice groups are routinely named to various legal rankings lists, including Best Lawyers®, Super Lawyers®, Martindale-Hubbell®, and Chambers®. Law360 and American Lawyer place Procopio high in their rankings for law firm diversity, and Procopio is recognized by Diversity Lab as a Mansfield Certified Plus law firm, one of only a few dozen in the United States.