Salima Merani, Ph.D., a partner in the Orange County office of Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP, has been recognized among The Daily Journal’s Top Women Lawyers of 2014. The annual list honors 75 litigators and 25 corporate transactions and regulatory specialists who exemplify exceptional talent and leadership skills in California, and whose work has had a broad impact on the legal community. Merani was recognized for her outstanding work in all three categories including litigation, corporate transactions and as a regulatory specialist.
Merani, who has nearly fifteen years of experience building patent portfolios for some of the top life sciences companies in California, was specifically recognized for her adept legal strategy and efficiency when obtaining patents from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). She recently secured two patents for an Orange County based medical device company in only nine months, a process that can sometimes take up to five years, using the new Track One process. She also credits scheduling interviews with the patent examiner for expediting the process.
“My experience in representing both technology companies and venture capital firms gives me a unique perspective,” stated Merani. “Understanding an investor’s mindset when evaluating a technology company – where the strength of an intellectual property portfolio can be key – allows me to provide strategic insight to early stage technology companies to help them gear up for a successful investment or exit. Obtaining patents sooner rather than later can be a valuable step in this process.”
Merani is a founding member of the Knobbe Martens’ USPTO Trials and Post Grant Proceedings Committee, and has directed client strategy in multiple patent disputes before the USPTO and international patent and trademark offices. Merani is past Vice Chair of the American Intellectual Property Law Association’s USPTO Inter Partes Patent Proceedings committee, which oversees the interference, reexamination and derivation subcommittees. In 2011, she was also appointed to the AIPLA’s Special Task Force on American Invents Act rulemaking.
The 2014 List of Top Women Lawyers is a special report that appears as a supplement to the Daily Journal. The full report can be found at www.dailyjournal.com.
Consistently ranked among the top intellectual property firms in the nation and worldwide, Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP has over 275 lawyers and scientists nationwide and dedicates its practice to all aspects of intellectual property law including litigation. Knobbe Martens serves a diverse group of clients from multinational corporations to emerging businesses of all stages. The firm is headquartered in Orange County, California, with offices in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C., and enjoys an international reputation for excellence. More information about the firm can be found at www.knobbe.com.
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