IP Law Firm Establishes Life Sciences-Focused Team

Trial attorney Martina Hufnal and veteran patent prosecutor Todd Garcia, Ph.D., are chairing Fish & Richardson’s Life Sciences Industry team. The group represents every market sector (pharmaceutical, medical device, medtech, biotech) as well as academic and research institutions.
 
The Life Sciences Industry Team provides strategic and forward-thinking counsel to clients to minimize risk, protect clients’ assets, and strengthen clients’ competitive market edge. Its cross-practice approach leverages interdisciplinary collaboration across litigation, patent prosecution and counseling, post-grant, trademark, regulatory, and licensing to provide clients with support and a 360-degree view of potential opportunities and threat assessment and mitigation.
 
“Fish has a bench of trial attorneys and IP practitioners whose experience representing life sciences companies is second to none,” Fish President/CEO John Adkisson stated. “Fish knows the life sciences because we’re scientists too. Over 140 of our attorneys, technology specialists, and patent agents are part of this team with extensive experience and technical backgrounds in related disciplines. The Life Sciences Industry team provides a cross-practice, cross-geography organizational structure to further invest firm resources and enhance collaboration to support clients in this rapidly evolving industry.”
 
Hufnal and Garcia co-lead the team and will spearhead strategy and boost synergy across functions. Hufnal has extensive experience in Hatch-Waxman litigation, biosimilar cases, and medical device disputes and is regarded for her work on complex pharmaceutical and healthcare industry cases. She is known for her long-term strategic perspective and her deep understanding of clients’ priorities and business objectives. Hufnal has represented clients in contentious, high-stakes matters and has contributed to defining the evolving landscape of IP law in the life sciences space. Hufnal’s many accolades include “Delaware Litigator of the Year,” Managing IP (2022); “IP Star,” Managing IP (2018-2023); and “Life Sciences Star,” LMG Life Sciences (4x).
 
“I’m grateful to be entrusted as co-leader of this team,” Hufnal said. “The life science space is dynamic and provides an exciting opportunity to better cross-serve clients and drive success for companies and institutions. I’m looking forward to collaborating across this team to accelerate progress and results.”
 
Garcia is an expert in patent prosecution and counseling, opinion work, due diligence studies, and patent portfolio development/management. With a Ph.D. in microbiology, Garcia has technical knowledge in biotechnology, small molecule, and medical and diagnostic devices. He has represented the full spectrum of life sciences clients from startups to large pharmaceutical companies and major research institutions. Garcia was named an “IP Star,” Managing IP (2013-2023); “Life Sciences Star,” LMG Life Sciences (2017-2023); and “Latino Leaders Worth Watching,” Profiles in Diversity Journal (2021).
 
“I’m excited to co-lead our Life Sciences Industry team. We will support and deploy the strongest and most experienced professionals with the right technical expertise to handle our clients’ patent protection and enforcement needs,” Garcia said.
 
With 12 U.S. offices and locations in Munich, Germany; and Shenzhen, China; Fish manages global IP portfolios and represents clients in multi-party, multi-jurisdictional, and high-stakes global litigation. Fish attorneys are experienced in every life sciences market sector.