Burns Doane Swecker & Mathis, LLP Announces Addition of Claude Hamrick to Redwood Shores Office.

Business Editors/Legal Writers

REDWOOD SHORES, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 19, 2003

In a time of widespread uncertainty in the Silicon Valley IP legal community, Burns, Doane, Swecker & Mathis, which ranks among Intellectual Property Today's top three patent firms in the nation, inaugurated an aggressive expansion by announcing today the hire of Claude A. S. "Cash" Hamrick as a Firm partner.

Mr. Hamrick joins the firm from Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly, where he served as managing partner of the San Jose office, as well as chair of Oppenheimer's Silicon Valley IP Group.

Mr. Hamrick brings to Burns Doane expertise in the areas of preparation and prosecution of complex US patent applications and related international patent strategy; patent and trademark litigation support; patent validity and infringement analysis; IP licensing and the challenge and defense of issued patents. His application of this expertise has been in the Silicon Valley electronics and semiconductor technologies, as well as other areas.

"The addition of Cash Hamrick to our firm is a direct reflection of the increasing need of our clients for sophisticated IP counsel. We anticipate that this hire will be the first in a broader campaign that will not only allow the firm to substantially grow its prosecution practice, but to strengthen our prosecution capabilities in all technologies." said Danny Huntington, chair of Burns Doane's Executive Committee.

Mr. Hamrick, former examiner in the US Patent and Trademark Office, has been practicing patent law in Silicon Valley for 36 years. He has been responsible for the preparation and prosecution of more than 2,000 US and foreign patents for clients ranging from computer software manufacturers to aeronautics companies.

"I came to Burns Doane because it is a firm with real staying power in this turbulent market. I think it is a unique opportunity to work with a large group of expert patent attorneys in a world class IP firm and to help them expand the firm's electronics practice in Silicon Valley," said Mr. Hamrick.

Burns, Doane, Swecker & Mathis, L.L.P., www.burnsdoane.com, is one of the oldest and largest law firms in the U.S. specializing exclusively in intellectual property.

Nearly half of their more than 100 attorneys, patent agents, and technical specialists hold masters or doctorate degrees and many have industry experience or are former examiners at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Burns, Doane, Swecker & Mathis has offices in Alexandria, Virginia; Redwood Shores, California; and Durham, North Carolina.