Knobbe Martens, one of the nation’s leading intellectual property law firms, is pleased to announce that partner Christy Lea will serve as the President of the Public Law Center (PLC) Board of Directors in 2022. The PLC, Orange County’s pro bono law firm, provides access to justice for low-income and vulnerable residents. Lea, a trial attorney focusing on high-stakes IP litigation, has been part of the PLC’s leadership group for almost a decade.
“I’m honored to help lead such a worthy organization. For 40 years, the PLC has provided much-needed representation to people unable to pay for a lawyer to help them navigate the legal system,” said Lea, who has volunteered with the PLC for 20 years. “Anyone who has ever staffed a pro bono clinic or represented a PLC client will tell you what a rewarding experience it is. Knobbe Martens has long been a supporter of the PLC, both financially and through pro bono hours. I’ve been fortunate to have the firm support my PLC leadership commitments through the years. I’m looking forward to working closely next year with the other board members.”
The PLC works with more than 1,500 Orange County lawyers and other volunteers each year on providing legal representation to low-income individuals in Orange County. In 2020, the latest year for which data is available, PLC staff and volunteers provided more than 65,000 hours of free legal services at an estimated value of $20 million.
Lea’s PLC involvement began when she was a first-year associate at Knobbe Martens. She has fond memories of regularly staffing a domestic violence clinic and representing pro bono clients before moving to the executive side. There, she co-chaired the organization’s annual fundraiser, the Volunteers for Justice dinner for two years, and has served on PLC’s Executive Committee for two years.
At Knobbe Martens, Lea helped found the firm’s Pro Bono Committee as a first-year associate more than two decades ago. Knobbe Martens is committed to its attorneys performing pro bono work.
Lea is frequently recognized for her professional and volunteer work. The Orange County Women Lawyers Association named her the 2021 “Attorney of the Year.” California legal newspaper the Daily Journal named her a “Top IP Lawyer”, and the PTAB Bar Association honored her as one of its “Top 50 Women in PTAB Trials”. She has also been named a “Life Science Star” by Legal Media Group (LMG) Life Sciences; a “Woman to Watch” by the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA); a “Top 10 Life Sciences Litigator” by Managing IP magazine; and a “Future Star” in the Benchmark Litigation 2020 Guide.
About Knobbe Martens
Knobbe Martens is a highly respected intellectual property law firm, offering legal services in all aspects of intellectual property and technology law. The firm’s litigation group handles cases throughout the U.S. and coordinates strategy for disputes worldwide. Founded in California in 1962, the firm has about 300 lawyers and scientists based in offices located in Orange County, Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington D.C. Knobbe Martens serves a diverse international client base, from multinational corporations to emerging businesses of all stages. More information about the firm can be found at www.knobbe.com.
