Haynes and Boone, LLP proudly announces the addition of the partners and associates of Mavrakakis Law Group LLP (MLG), an intellectual property boutique with offices in Palo Alto, Calif. and Chicago, Ill.

All MLG personnel will be joining Haynes and Boone, resulting in an expansion of the firm’s Silicon Valley office and the establishment of a Chicago office. The announcement comes on the heels of the January opening of a Haynes and Boone office in Denver.

Moving to Haynes and Boone are Palo Alto MLG Partners Tom Mavrakakis and Brian Kwok and Chicago Partners Jim Shimota and Howard Levin. Mavrakakis is the former director of patent strategy at Apple Inc.

“We are excited about our prospects to integrate and leverage the firm’s IP expertise and client base by taking advantage of the MLG market position in Silicon Valley with key clients,” said Haynes and Boone Managing Partner Tim Powers. “We have seen substantial growth in our technology sector client base and believe this transaction will further strengthen and deepen all areas of our IP practice, significantly bolster our presence in Northern California and give us a foundation in Chicago on which we can build.”

Mavrakakis said the Haynes and Boone commitment to Silicon Valley and its highly respected stable of patent litigators were chief among the reasons for the move.

“Our clients value our patent litigation and licensing experience and respect our technical prowess; Haynes and Boone’s deep bench of patent trial lawyers gives our clients an additional dimension that amplifies our capabilities,” Mavrakakis said. “We wanted to expand our bench to provide our clients with the most comprehensive legal solutions possible, and Haynes and Boone is the ideal platform to make that happen.”

Mavrakakis said the recognized stature of Haynes and Boone in areas like inter partes reviews (IPRs) is a huge plus for his group’s clients, especially in light of the telecom work it handles. “This move will add tremendous bandwidth to our existing team,” he said.

Shimota, who will serve as the new Chicago office administrative partner, said the move is a great fit for all concerned. “We are ecstatic to be joining Haynes and Boone,” he said. “It is exciting to be part of this dynamic law firm’s growth and to open a brand new market for its legal services. I think this is a smart strategic move, especially from an IP perspective, given the intriguing landscape here in Chicago where tech startups and established players are establishing lasting roots. Haynes and Boone’s reach and culture will also allow us to continue in our entrepreneurial spirit serving established corporations, both large and small.”

David Harper, leader of the Haynes and Boone Intellectual Property (IP) Litigation Section, said the additions were made even more attractive because several members of his group have worked closely with MLG lawyers in the past. “I think it is obvious that both our firms nurture a client-first focus and value a collaborative work environment,” Harper said. “The match could not be better.”

Since the America Invents Act’s new post-grant procedures were implemented in 2012, Haynes and Boone’s IP Practice has been a leader in helping clients protect their patents and invalidate others’ claims both at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and in concurrent patent litigation in the federal courts.

The firm has been listed as one of the top five law firms practicing before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) according to Docket Navigator’s Year In Review 2014 (“Top Law Firms In The PTAB”). Haynes and Boone lawyers have represented filers in post-grant proceedings at the USPTO, handling more than 128 IPRs and covered business patent reviews (CBMs). Of those matters, the practice has represented 32 filings as patent owner counsel and 96 as petitioner counsel in IPR, making it one of the top five busiest firms in that area.

Powers said the MLG Chicago office will be rebranded as Haynes and Boone’s first Midwest location, while the MLG and Haynes and Boone Palo Alto offices will be combined.

Powers said the move into the Chicago market office with one of the firm’s key practice areas will allow the firm to gradually grow into a more full-service offering, playing to the firm’s strengths in other industries, including finance, private equity and real estate. “We believe that an office in Chicago, one of the largest legal markets in the U.S., will also enhance our opportunities for additional legal work throughout the firm,” Powers said.

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