Cooley LLP has announced that a market-leading group of IP attorneys is leaving Mintz Levin to join Cooley. The group is headed by Ivor R. Elrifi, the former co-chair of Mintz Levin’s IP practice, and his fellow partner Heidi Erlacher. The team of six attorneys will be joining the Boston and New York offices of the law firm and is expected to add significant strength to Cooley’s already established national patent counseling and prosecution practice.
Speaking on the group joining the firm, Jim Brogan, chair of Cooley’s intellectual property practice said, “Recently, we have seen unprecedented growth in the life sciences industry, with countless companies receiving regulatory approval and accessing the public capital markets for the first time. This group’s deep experience and extensive relationships across the country and internationally will be invaluable as Cooley continues to lead at the forefront of complex IP representations.”
He added, “The addition of Ivor, Heidi, and their team establishes Cooley as one of the pre-eminent, fully integrated IP firms, with one of the largest national life sciences patent practices in the country.”
Speaking on the move, Ivor Elrifi said, “This is the right move at the right time.” He added, “It was a huge decision for Heidi and me, one that we considered very carefully. In Cooley, we see a truly national practice that connects the dots between life sciences and innovation. These are extremely exciting times in life sciences, as innovative services and therapies are increasingly coming to market. As traditional boundaries in science and technology are broken, it’s wonderful to join such a strong, ambitious and comprehensive practice at Cooley.”
Elrifi has advised companies around the world in various key industries, including pharmaceutical, biotechnology and life sciences, on developing patent strategies and in the prosecution, licensing and enforcement of patents. He has also served as patent counsel, vice president and general counsel for Rhode Island-based CytoTherapeutics Inc. He has received various awards throughout his career, including being named an “LMG Life Sciences: Life Science Star,” and ranked nationally in Chambers USA since 2007. Elrifi earned his B.S. and Ph.D. from Queen’s University and his J.D. from Osgoode Hall Law School.
Erlacher advises clients on patent strategy, counseling and prosecution for life sciences companies, including pharmaceutical companies, in areas such as chemistry, biochemistry and biotechnology. Among her numerous professional accolades, she was named a “Massachusetts Super Lawyers: Rising Star – Intellectual Property” in 2005 and 2009. She earned her B.A. from Clark University, her Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and her J.D. from Suffolk University.