Spokane, WA (PRWEB) May 23, 2011
For the second consecutive year, Lee & Hayes, pllc, has been ranked no. 1 in the U.S. in patent quality, and no. 1 in the information technology industry, by Intellectual Asset Management Magazine (IAM) and Ocean Tomo Patent Ratings. Patent quality is a stronger measure of an intellectual property (IP) portfolios strategic value than simply the quantity of patents, according to Ocean Tomo. The rankings were published in the May/June issue.
Lee & Hayes focus on strategic and quality IP counsel and portfolio management has fueled its recent expansion, which now includes the addition of a Portland, Ore.-area office to be headed by Kevin LeMond. The firm also has offices in Spokane, Seattle, Austin, Taipei and Beijing.
Quality IP Counts
According to the IAM results, the median intellectual property quality (IPQ) score for firms in the industries surveyed (healthcare, information technology, consumer electronics and industrials) was 120.0, and Lee & Hayes achieved the highest quality score of 136.6. In the information technology category, the median IPQ was 124.9 and Lee & Hayes received the top score of 138.1.
Focusing on quality, rather than quantity, of patents enables businesses to be more strategic about their intellectual property, and build portfolios that are true long term assets, said Lewis Lee, cofounder of Lee & Hayes. As the innovation economy unfolds, these assets will be the primary engine of growth around the world.
Expansion to the Portland Metro Area
Lee & Hayes has named Kevin LeMond a partner in the firms new office, based in Vancouver, Wash. and serving the greater Portland metro area. LeMond brings 15 years experience serving clients from across the technology landscape, including manufacturers of microprocessors, wireless technologies, semiconductor packaging, electro-optical components and systems, software, Internet-related technologies and medical devices.
LeMond is an electrical engineer by training, and received his law degree from the University of Arizona School of Law. He is admitted to practice in the states of Oregon, California, Arizona and Ohio and the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth, Ninth and Federal Circuits, plus the United States Patent and Trademark Office. He was most recently a partner in the law firm of Schwabe, Willliamson & Wyatt.
LeMond brings with him a large Bay Area semiconductor company that will become one of Lee & Hayes top five clients.
A Growing, Diversified Firm
Lee & Hayes has grown and diversified in many ways since 2008, when it embarked upon an aggressive expansion strategy. Originally based in Spokane and Seattle, it opened an Austin office that year to attract top talent located there. Later it opened sales offices in Taipei and Beijing, to serve clients there as well as to help U.S.-based clients successfully maneuver in Asia. The firm has also added a corporate law practice and life sciences practice.
Weve been given a unique opportunity to bring in some outstanding legal talent in the last several months who will support and lead our life sciences, technology and corporate practice groups across an expansive geography, said Shaun Cross, Lee & Hayes CEO. With the addition of Kevin and a fully staffed Portland area office, and the addition of new talent in corporate and securities law and life sciences, the firm is well positioned to serve the needs of clients in multiple growth industries where intellectual property is critical to driving business value.
About Lee & Hayes
Lee & Hayes represents six of the 20 largest patent filers in the United States, including Microsoft, Amazon, Intel and Goldman Sachs. It emphasizes the importance of building intellectual property portfolios based on a long-term business strategy and counsels on all form of licensing, litigation-avoidance, pre-litigation and corporate formation issues that are part of that strategy.
Lee & Hayes is built on a practice of delivering quality, customized IP services more timely, efficiently, and responsively. Lee & Hayes leadership, partners and staff attribute much of their success to following the three philosophies: represent a select number of clients, deliver IP and corporate services tailored for our clients, and meet high standards for quality, timeliness, and client satisfaction.
For more information, contact Kara Lundberg at Raffetto Herman Strategic Communications, PR firm for Lee & Hayes at klundberg[at]rhstrategic[dot]com or 206-264-1703.
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