DLA Piper hires two patent litigators in New York

DLA Piper has hired two patent litigators as partners in the firm’s IP and technology practice.

Michael Furrow and Brian O’Reilly have joined DLA Piper’s New York office, where they will counsel life science companies in complex patent disputes.

Furrow, who joins from Venable, will serve as the firm’s US chair for life sciences patent strategy. He has represented major pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in patent disputes covering more than a dozen drugs in federal courts and before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.

O’Reilly, who has previously worked at Cravath, Swaine, & Moore and Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper & Scinto, joins from O’Reilly IP. Along with high-profile pharmaceutical cases in federal courts, he has also represented clients in patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret cases.

Mark Fowler, global co-chair and US chair of DLA Piper’s patent litigation practice, said: “Their extensive experience representing innovators across the life sciences, including their record of success in high-stakes litigation, adds depth to our fast-growing team.”

Furrow said he was thrilled to help advance the firm’s vision for “servicing clients in this critical arena of patent contests”, while O'Reilly added that no other firm has a “comparable global reach, life sciences client base, and dedication to defending pharmaceutical innovation”.

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