Sonnenschein to Open Office in Silicon Valley.

Law firm leverages strengths in intellectual property, patent litigation and venture capital to grow business in technology industry

SAN FRANCISCO -- Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP announced today that it will open an office in the Silicon Valley in mid-March as part of the law firm's expansion in the technology sector. Partners in the new office, to be located in Menlo Park, Calif., will include Yar R. Chaikovsky, who has joined Sonnenschein's national Patent Litigation Group from the Silicon Valley office of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, and Jason Altieri, William W. Choe and Tarek N. Fahmi, Sonnenschein attorneys with extensive Silicon Valley experience who currently reside in the firm's San Francisco office.

"Establishing a presence in Silicon Valley clearly enhances our position as a leading provider of legal services to the technology industry," said Duane C. Quaini, Sonnenschein chairman. "An office here brings the firm in close proximity to technology entrepreneurs and the venture capital and high-tech investment community, as well as more mature technology companies. We have the resources in place to provide counsel on all of the legal issues they face, from defending intellectual property rights to commercializing innovative technologies."

Chaikovsky's practice focuses on patent litigation, pre-litigation analyses, and patent strategy and counseling for companies in all stages of development, from start-ups to established companies, in a wide range of technology fields. A member of the firm's Corporate and Venture Capital/Emerging Growth Company groups, Altieri represents both portfolio companies and venture firms in a wide variety of transactions, including venture finance, mergers and acquisitions, and public offerings. Choe, a corporate attorney, advises clients on a broad array of corporate and security matters, including domestic and foreign mergers and acquisitions, private placements and venture capital financings, and public offerings. Fahmi, who practices in the firm's Intellectual Property & Technology and Venture Capital/Emerging Growth Company groups, helps companies maximize the value of their intellectual property portfolios across asset classes and markets; his work involves not only patent procurement and licensing, but also technology transactions and patent litigation.

"Having a robust Silicon Valley presence is critical to achieving our strategic objectives. It will provide a base from which we can best meet the needs of existing clients in the region while attracting new clients and top-flight lateral recruits to the firm," stated Elliott I. Portnoy, Sonnenschein chairman-elect. "We look forward to our Silicon Valley office expanding rapidly across a wide variety of practice areas."

Sonnenschein serves the legal needs of many of the world's most admired businesses, nonprofits and individuals. With offices across the United States and a global reach throughout the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Middle East, we are well positioned to help our clients prosper and grow. For more information, visit www.sonnenschein.com.