Firm Announces New York Office: Prominent IP Attorneys Join Firm

Kilpatrick Stockton LLP, August 25, 2004

Internationally Recognized Intellectual Property Attorneys Join Kilpatrick Stockton

Firm Announces New York Office; Further Expansion of London Office

ATLANTA (August 25)-- Kilpatrick Stockton LLP announced that internationally prominent intellectual property attorneys Helen Newman and Christopher Woods will join the firm as partners. Helen Newman will join the growing London office and Chris Woods will be resident in the firm’s new office in New York City.

“The firm has been considering a range of interesting options in New York for about three years,” said Bill Brewster, Kilpatrick Stockton Managing Partner. “This presents a perfect opportunity for us to serve our clients. We start with world-class IP capability and will be evaluating strategic opportunities in the near future in other specific practice areas, including litigation, finance and real estate. We are extremely excited about the prospects.”

Brewster continued, “Helen and Chris are two of the world’s most esteemed intellectual property attorneys. We have known and respected them for years. Now, their international practices will be a valuable resource for Kilpatrick Stockton clients.”

“Chris and Helen will be a vital part of the firm’s strategic growth in New York and in our European offices,” said Andy Kauss, Kilpatrick Stockton Executive Committee member to be resident in the New York office. “They provide an immediate link between London and the US, which is so crucial to the trans-Atlantic strategic objectives of the firm. We are thrilled to have Chris and Helen join Kilpatrick Stockton and enhance our superb IP practice.”

Chris Woods, a former resident of Hong Kong who has led his practice from New York since 1998, has a well-known global practice focusing on complex cross border intellectual property disputes and intellectual property aspects of corporate mergers, acquisitions and financings. "Admitted to practice in England, Hong Kong, and New York, Mr. Woods recently has litigated trademark and patent rights in China with respect to computer hardware and software, and mechanical household equipment."

Helen Newman, who has been repeatedly recognized as one of the top trademark lawyers in Europe, brings a wealth of experience on a wide range of contentious and non-contentious intellectual property matters, particularly matters relating to brand management. She counsels on the acquisition, disposal, re-structuring and exploitation of intellectual property rights portfolios and is actively involved in trademark filing and prosecution for clients ranging from major global brand managers to prominent charities. Ms. Newman recently was involved in one of the very first major trademark/passing off cases to go to trial under England's new Civil Procedure Rules.

"Chris and Helen’s international practice will be a valuable resource for Kilpatrick Stockton clients,” added John Pratt, Chair of Kilpatrick Stockton’s Intellectual Property Practice. “We are combining a US trademark litigation practice that is second to none with two of the finest lawyers in international IP. With the scope and experience that Chris and Helen have in Europe and Asia, the result is a truly global IP practice.”

In Euromoney's (Managing IP Magazine) 2004 Guide to the World's Leading Trademark Practitioners, Helen Newman and Christopher Woods along with Kilpatrick Stockton partners Miles Alexander, Bill Brewster, Ted Davis, Jerre Swann and Virginia Taylor are ranked by their peers among the very top trademark lawyers.

Ms. Newman is also specifically rated by The Legal 500, Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession, and New City Media's Insider's Guides -- Brands and Trade Marks.

Mr. Woods is also listed in Euromoney Best of the Best 2002 and AsiaLaw Leading Lawyers 2004. A long-time leader with the International Trademark Association (INTA), he was appointed in 2003 to the distinguished panel of Neutrals.

The New York office, which will open in September, initially will be located at 805 Third Avenue.

About Kilpatrick Stockton

Kilpatrick Stockton LLP is a full-service international law firm with more than 470 attorneys in nine offices across the globe: London; Stockholm; Atlanta and Augusta, Georgia; New York City; Charlotte, Raleigh and Winston-Salem, North Carolina; and Washington, D.C. Kilpatrick Stockton’s delivery of innovative business solutions provides results-oriented counsel for corporations, from the challenging demands of financial transactions and securities to the disciplines of intellectual property management. Collaboration among Kilpatrick Stockton’s corporate, litigation and intellectual property attorneys provides knowledgeable and proactive guidance for companies at every stage of the business life cycle.

KILPATRICK STOCKTON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PRACTICE FACT SHEET

The Kilpatrick Stockton Intellectual Property Group includes nearly 90 full time patent, trademark and copyright attorneys.

More than 50 Kilpatrick Stockton attorneys are registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Kilpatrick Stockton intellectual property attorneys are recognized as the world’s preeminent intellectual property attorneys by the foremost industry directories and publications:

The current edition of the prestigious Best Lawyers in America lists 13 Kilpatrick Stockton Intellectual Property attorneys – the most of any firm in the country. Attorneys include: Miles Alexander, Anthony Askew, Joseph Beck, William Brewster, James Ewing, Jamie Greene, James Johnson, George Little, John Pratt, Dean Russell, Stephen Schaetzel, Jerre Swann and Virginia Taylor.

The 2004-2005 edition of Chambers USA: America's Leading Business Lawyers names seven Kilpatrick Stockton intellectual property attorneys as “Leading Individuals” – the most of any firm in the country. “Leading Individuals” include: Miles Alexander, Anthony Askew, Joseph Beck, William Brewster, James Ewing, James Johnson and Jerre Swann.

2003 Managing IP Magazine survey of 4,000 intellectual property practitioners worldwide ranks the Kilpatrick Stockton Trademark Litigation Group as the fourth leading practice in the country making Kilpatrick Stockton the highest rated general practice firm.

IP Law & Business Magazine ranks Kilpatrick Stockton's Patent Litigation Practice as one of the top 20 in the US based on cases defended in 2003.

IP Today Magazine ranks Kilpatrick Stockton in the top 20% of the nation’s leading patent firms based on number of patents issued in 2003.

The 2004-2005 Chambers USA recognizes the firm as the “Leading Georgia Firm for Intellectual Property.”

NameProtect presented Kilpatrick Stockton with the NameProtect Trademark Insider Award which recognizes Kilpatrick Stockton as the #1 Atlanta Law Firm for its significant trademark filing activities in 2003.

In Euromoney's (Managing IP Magazine) 2004 Guide to the World's Leading Trademark Practitioners, Helen Newman and Christopher Woods along with Kilpatrick Stockton partners Miles Alexander, Bill Brewster, Ted Davis, Jerre Swann and Virginia Taylor are ranked by their peers among the very top trademark lawyers.

The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers for 2004-2005 names Miles Alexander, Virginia Taylor and Helen Newman in the area of Trademarks.