Four Finnegan Partners Named 2024 Rising Stars by Managing Intellectual Property

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 30, 2024

WASHINGTON, DC—Finnegan is proud to announce that Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) has named partners Jeffrey M. Jacobstein, Dr. Moritz Meckel, Cara E. Regan, and Morgan E. Smith as 2024 Rising Stars. The Rising Stars list recognizes up-and-coming intellectual property attorneys with approximately a decade of experience, who work in private practice and contribute to the success of their firms as well as their clients.

Jeffrey M. Jacobstein, leader of the firm’s patent office practice, brings more than 15 years of experience in sophisticated counseling and successful resolution of contentious proceedings to his practice with clients in the biotechnology and life science spaces. Jeffrey focuses his practice on strategic client counseling, including due diligence, patent prosecution, and post-grant proceedings, with an emphasis on biotechnology and the life sciences. His experience includes prosecuting and appealing applications within the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), as well as post-grant proceedings and larger portfolio management, diligence, licensing, and opinion work. Jeffrey has been recognized by LMG Life Sciences as Patent Strategy Attorney of the Year, New England and honored for his contributions to the fields of “Patent Prosecution” and “Patent Strategy & Management”. This is Jeffrey’s fifth time being recognized as a Rising Star by MIP.

Dr. Moritz Meckel is a patent litigator in Finnegan’s Munich office. He holds a Ph.D. in physics and is one of only a handful of lawyers in Germany admitted as an attorney at law, a German patent attorney, and a European patent attorney. He represents clients in contentious matters relating to a wide range of technologies such as materials science, electronics, optics, medical devices, automotive, and mechanics. Moritz has both broad and deep experience covering all stages of the lifecycle and enforcement of patents in Germany as well as with the European Patent Office (EPO). He concentrates on patent and utility model disputes, handling infringement, nullity, cancellation and opposition proceedings. Moritz is admitted to all German district courts, higher regional courts, the Federal Patent Court, the Federal Court of Justice (in patent nullity matters) as well as the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA), the EPO, and the Unified Patent Court (UPC). MIP has recognized Moritz as a Rising Star since 2021.

Cara E. Regan works on patent and trade secret litigation at every stage, from the strategic decision to file a proceeding through appeal. Her experience includes district court and International Trade Commission (ITC) actions; post-grant challenges at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB); and appeals at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, where she clerked. Cara has been involved in district court proceedings, ITC investigations, contentious proceedings before the USPTO, and appeals. She has experience with pre-suit due diligence, discovery, depositions, claim construction, summary judgment motions, Daubert motions, and post-trial briefing, as well as with managing related PTAB proceedings and pursuing appeals. Her technical expertise encompasses a wide range of technologies, including medical devices, software, mobile phones, laptops, automobiles, and consumer products. Cara maintains a pro bono practice assisting with veteran’s affairs, for which she has been recognized on the Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll.

Morgan E. Smith focuses her practice on trademark, unfair competition, and advertising law. She litigates cases and manages enforcement efforts for some of the world’s most renowned brands, representing clients in a diverse range of industries, including sports equipment, apparel, fitness, food and beverage, travel, consumer electronics, personal healthcare, video games, pet products and services, automotive, and telecommunications. Morgan’s comprehensive practice includes handling federal district court cases and cancellation and opposition proceedings before the TTAB of the USPTO. Morgan has worked on winning requests for seizures of counterfeit goods and related assets, requests for injunctive relief and temporary restraining orders, class certification briefs, and summary judgment briefs. She also has experience handling competitor and consumer advertising challenges, including class actions. Morgan has been recognized as a Rising Star by  MIP since 2021, ranked by World Trademark Review for her contributions to the fields of enforcement and litigation, and recognized as a “Working Mother of the Year” by Seramount.

Contacts

Erika H. Arner, Managing Partner
erika.arner@finnegan.com

Anand K. Sharma, Chair
anand.sharma@finnegan.com

About Finnegan
Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP is one of the largest IP law firms in the world. From offices in Atlanta, Boston, London, Munich, Palo Alto, Reston, Seoul, Shanghai, Taipei, Tokyo, and Washington, DC, the firm practices European, German, UK, and U.S. IP law. In addition to services related to all aspects of patent, trademark, and copyright law, including counseling, prosecution, licensing, and litigation, Finnegan provides counseling and litigation services in advertising, privacy, and a wide spectrum of additional IP-adjacent commercial matters, including trade secrets, international trade, the Internet, e-commerce, government contracts, antitrust, and unfair competition. For additional information on the firm, please visit www.finnegan.com and follow us on LinkedIn.