Sheppard Mullin hires partner in California

Lorna Tanner (pictured) has joined the Palo Alto office of Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP as an IP partner.

Tanner, who joins from Foley & Lardner LLP, counsels clients in the pharmaceutical, life sciences and medical devices industries. She prepares and prosecutes patents, as well as performing due diligence on patent portfolios.

She specialises in pharmaceutically active small molecules in clinical development, as well as late-stage and approved drugs. Tanner has experience in a variety of other technologies, including polymers and biologics.

Alongside Tanner, Sheppard Mullin hired Peter Carson (San Francisco) and Stephanie Zeppa (Palo Alto) in the finance and bankruptcy, and corporate practice group, respectively.

Guy Halgren, chairman of Sheppard Mullin, said: “Peter, Lorna and Stephanie are outstanding additions to the firm. Their respective practice expertise and backgrounds tightly mesh with our San Francisco and Palo Alto offices, as well as firmwide.”

Speaking specifically about Tanner, partner Ed Anderson said: “Lorna’s patent prosecution practice dovetails well with both our IP practice group and life sciences team.”

Sheppard Mullin has 120 attorneys based in its Bay Area offices (90 in San Francisco and 30 in Palo Alto). The firm’s IP practice group includes 100 attorneys overall.