News

Marina Gruber Joins Our Labor and Employment Practice as a Partner in Northern California

We all welcome Partner Marina C. Gruber to our award-winning Labor & Employment Law practice. Marina represents California employers in a wide range of actions before state and federal courts and administrative agencies while also counseling employers in prevailing wage and labor-related matters. She is based in Procopio’s Silicon Valley office in Palo Alto, California, and joins Procopio from the San Francisco office of Davis Wright Tremaine LLP.

Marina’s a great fit for our award-winning employment law team, as she is recognized by Best Lawyers® as a One to Watch in two categories, Litigation-Labor and Employment, Employee Benefits (ERISA). Marina is also a Super Lawyers® Rising Star for Labor and Employment Law.

Awards and Accolades

A Record 81 Procopio Attorneys Named to 2025 Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch Lists

Kudos to our 81 attorneys in dozens of practice areas named to the 2025 Best Lawyers® and Ones to Watch® lists. This record number of attorneys can be found in all six Procopio locations: San Diego, Orange County, Silicon Valley, Scottsdale, Las Vegas and Washington, D.C. Partner Michael Lyon was named a “Lawyer of the Year,” a national recognition for his excellence in Real Estate Law.

You can meet all 81 honorees in our press release. We’ve made it easy to read by grouping the attorneys into nine broad categories of law: commercial litigation, construction, corporate, family, intellectual property, labor and employment, Native American, real estate, and tax.

Miku Mehta Named to IAM Strategy 300 List for Second Straight Year

Congrats to Miku Mehta on being named to the 2024 IAM Strategy 300 list, his second straight year earning the recognition. The IAM Strategy 300 showcases IP experts from major IP markets in North America, Europe and Asia. Leaders are recognized in private practice, consulting and in other service provider industries, individuals who possess expertise across disciplines and sectors.

Miku advises clients in the U.S. and Asia on patent prosecution and counseling as well as trademarks and copyrights. His practice focuses on the preparation and prosecution of patent applications, due diligence projects, including preparation of opinions in the areas of patentability, validity, infringement and product clearance, and patent licensing. He is the leader of Procopio’s Intellectual Property team and its Asia Pacific practice.

Gabriela Magee Wins Award from Native American Law Organization

Kudos to Native American Law attorney Gabriela Magee on being named the 2024 Outstanding Young Attorney by the California Indian Law Association. This annual award goes to one young California attorney who excels in representing tribes and tribal interests. Gabriela was nominated by multiple CILA members for her outstanding work and leadership in California.

Gabriela advises tribal clients on a variety of issues regarding governance, business organizations, financing, gaming entitlements and compliance, intergovernmental agreements, cultural resource protection and contracts. She is a member of the Cahuilla Band of Indians. As an active member of her tribal government, Gabriela provides a unique perspective to client service.

Procopio Named a Top Ten Firm for Hatch-Waxman/ANDA Litigation With Recognition of 3 Attorneys

Procopio’s Life Sciences Intellectual Property Litigation practice and three of its attorneys were recognized by Patexia for outstanding performance in Hatch-Waxman/ANDA Litigation in multiple categories. In addition, Procopio was named a Top 10 law firm out of more than 220 firms. Partners Jeremy Edwards and Steven Maddox ranked in the Top 25 out of nearly 2,000 attorneys, and Senior Counsel Brett Garrison ranked in the Top 100. Jeremy, Steven and Brett are all based in Procopio’s Washington, D.C., office. 

Each year Patexia evaluates and ranks law firms and attorneys in various IP fields based on their performance, activity and success across a five-year period. The 2024 ANDA Intelligence Report analyzed more than 1,400 ANDA (Abbreviated New Drug Application) cases involving nearly 150 judges and more than 1,700 patents involving more than 460 pharmaceutical companies.

Events

Services for John D. Alessio (1969-2024)

A Funeral Mass will be held for John D. Alessio on October 12 at 10:30 am PT at the University of San Diego Immaculata in San Diego, California.

Our beloved Managing Partner passed on September 3, 2024, at the age of 55 after a five-year journey with cancer. You can learn more about John and the positive impact he had on all of us at Procopio, his community, and his family in our statement.

In lieu of flowers, the family would ask that consideration be given to making a gift in John’s memory to Red Autismo or student scholarships at the University of San Diego.

Procopio’s 2024 Virtual Construction Law Forum | 10:00 am – 1:50 pm PT

Procopio Construction & Infrastructure Law attorneys and industry experts will address the most critical California construction law issues currently facing contractors, developers, and owners in an engaging half-day online event. This forum is approved for Certified Construction Manager® (CCM®) & Certified Associate Construction Manager® (CACM) credits, and California General Participatory MCLE credits are pending. 

Procopio International Tax Institute | San Diego, CA

The 19th Annual Procopio International Tax Institute (PITI) will again bring leading experts in U.S. and Mexican tax issues to help attendees stay ahead and network. Held in collaboration with the Graduate Tax Program of Georgetown University, PITI is designed for tax practitioners, U.S. and Mexican attorneys, accountants, corporate tax directors, managers, controllers, banking and financial advisors, and executives.

Client News

Premier Environmental Consulting Firm Joins with Organizational Platform Leader

Kudos to client and full-service environmental and ecological services consulting firm Great Ecology on its acquisition by True Environmental! Great Ecology founder Mark Laska will serve as Great Ecology’s President in this new corporate arrangement, and he described the deal as “a significant milestone” in the company’s evolution.

Procopio M&A Partner Dennis Doucette led the deal for Great Ecology, assisted by Partners Jessica Lazur and John Miles and Associate Kaitlyn Jensen.

Manufacturer Secures Aircraft Company Assets in Bankruptcy Section 363 Sale

Congratulations to Procopio client SG Investments, America, Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of German-based manufacturer Dürkopp Adler (DA), on the acquisition of ICON Aircraft assets. SG’s asset purchase was the result of a Chapter 11 Section 363 sale free and clear process in ICON’s Chapter 11 case filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.

Procopio Restructuring and Bankruptcy Partner William Smelko represented DA in the transaction with the assistance of Procopio’s Asia Pacific team and local Delaware counsel.

Healthcare Automation Innovator Launches Digital Platform Upgrade

Congrats to client and healthcare workflow automation provider Shadowbox on rolling out a new upgrade to its no-code software platform. This provides healthcare providers an even faster and easier way to safely and securely transfer patient data. Clinicians still benefit from the convergence of all relevant patient information to ease the claim submission process, albeit with an improved interface featuring adjustable split-screen windows, user-friendly control buttons, and other new features.

Partner John Cleary serves as Shadowbox’s corporate counsel, addressing among other legal matters corporate governance, contracts, and capital fundraising. Shadowbox Founder and CEO Gregory Stein said that the company is contemplating another fundraising round.

Procopio LaunchPad Incubator Participant Secures Key Victories

Kudos to Procopio LaunchPad participant and clean-energy technology developer Emission Free Generators, Inc. (EFG) on securing key recognitions. First, it competed against an impressive array of candidates to secure a Caltech Rocket Fund grant, designed to help innovators turn their technologies into commercial realities through financial support, entrepreneurial mentoring and education. EFG has also been chosen by Southern California Gas (SoCalGas) to participate in its research development and demonstration program.

We’re proud that EFG is one of four members of the 2024 cohort of Procopio’s LaunchPad startup incubator located at the law firm’s Del Mar Heights, California, office. EFG CEO Mark Collins and VP Toni Carlo are working closely with Corporate Partner Mike Kinkelaar and IP Partner Pattric Rawlins as part of the nine-month program.

Social Media

We’re so happy to welcome back Miranda Barfield as an Associate! Miranda supports Procopio partners and other attorneys in assisting clients in environmental and energy regulatory compliance, enforcement, and transactional matters. Those clients include local land and business owners as well as international corporations requiring assistance in legal matters including contracts, due diligence, permitting, enforcement, settlement negotiations, litigation, and corporate policies. Prior to earning her JD at the University of Oregon, Miranda served as a legal assistant, paralegal, and law clerk with Procopio. Her admission to the California State Bar is pending.

We're pleased to welcome back Ariel Jones as our newest Associate! Ariel assists our attorneys provide a wide range of legal assistance to tribal clients while awaiting admittance to the State Bar of California. Previously she had served as a legal intern and law clerk for Procopio’s Native American Law practice group. Ariel’s additional past experience working on tribal legal issues includes serving as a student attorney with the Colorado Law American Indian Law Clinic in Boulder, Colorado; an externship with the Native American Rights Fund in Boulder, Colorado; and an internship with the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Federal Indian Trust Litigation Office in Washington, D.C.

It was a big win for client HealthMax Medical Technology Ltd. with its $9.5-million default judgment in U.S. District Court against All American Health LLC following our client’s allegation that the defendant, a joint venture partner, overpromised its ability to manufacture and sell face masks during COVID-19. Procopio Partners Jack Shaw and Eric Plourde represented the Hong Kong-based HealthMax, making such a convincing case that the defendant didn’t even bother to show up for the trial or file any response to the charges. The judge ordered the return of the $9.5 million HealthMax had transferred into the venture with All American Health. Learn more about the decision in an article by George Woolston in Law360 (subscription may be required).

Don't miss our M&A practice co-leader Paul Johnson in San Diego Sept. 24 on the panel "Understanding Your Liquidity Options -- What's Best for Your Business?" at the Business Transitions Forum. He and other panelists will discuss what distinguishes different classes of buyers depending on business size, and other options to generate capital. Topics include strategic buyers, private equity, going public, buying out partners, management buyouts, other recapitalization options, and ESOP.

It was an engaged crowd of entrepreneurs who heard from Procopio Partner Xiaofan "Frank" Yang on Sept. 5 at the Arizona BioPreneur Network Conference in Phoenix's Venture Cafe. He shared his expertise in patent portfolio building and M&A IP due diligence in a session titled "Patents 101: Demistifying the Process for Innovators." Frank, based in San Diego, has a PhD in organic synthesis, and co-leads our Life Sciences practice and our Technology Transactions and Licensing practice with Scottsdale-based corporate attorney Helen Goldstein.

IP Litigation Partner Mindy Morton led a spirited discussion on trade secrets at the recent 2024 Annual Meeting of The Sedona Conference Working Group 12 in Phoenix, Arizona. Topics included: What can be protected under a confidentiality agreement and how are breach of contract and misappropriation of trade secrets related? Should confidential information be treated differently depending on the context? Are there limits on enforcing confidentiality agreements? What clauses should be included in a sample nondisclosure agreement? Mindy’s fellow panelists included IP attorneys Russell Beck, Maria Kreiter, Avi Skoff and James Pooley.

Our Life Sciences practice co-leader Helen Goldstein led a compelling panel discussion Sept. 12 on new developments revolutionizing human health. Her panelists at this Biocom California event in San Diego included Daré Bioscience, Inc. President & CEO Sabrina Johnson, AccendoWave CEO & Co-Founder Martha Lawrence, and Novo Nordisk Director, Search & Evaluation Tari Suprapto. Learn more about how our Life Sciences attorneys are helping innovative clients advance human health with legal services including IP, corporate transactions, and more.

It was quite an engaging discussion on the future of biotech in San Diego in this Sept. 12 Wharton School panel. We were pleased to serve as the lead sponsor. Our Life Sciences practice co-leader Xiaofan “Frank” Yang kicked off the discussion, which addressed the changing biotech landscape, how San Diego stays competitive, trends in investment, and opportunities in the biotech field.

Let's hear it for our award-winning family law team led by Michele Brown and including Sarah Taylor, Adrian Martinez, David Zachry, Leyla Tabatabaie and Ashley Genser! They had the privilege of hosting a reception on behalf of the California Lawyers Association, honoring Judge Laura Miller as the Family Law Judicial Officer of the Year. The CLA also recognized Jessica Young and Tara Bell with awards for their exceptional dedication as courtroom staff. Congratulations to all the well-deserved recipients! Our Family Law team is very active in the California family law community. Michele has long served on the California Lawyers Association's Family Law Board of Representatives and played a key role in CLA's creation.

We enjoyed hosting an invigorating Silicon Valley Japan Platform Benkyokai discussion in our Palo Alto office September 4 on the use of AI by the U.S. Department of Defense, the need for Silicon Valley partnerships, and the potential for U.S.-Japan defense tech collaborations. Speakers included Kyle Nakamoto, Senior Lead AI Engineer at Booz Allen Hamilton, and Derek Kenmotsu, Head of Partnerships, AI/ML at the Defense Innovation Unit.

We loved sponsoring the first San Diego Wave Fútbol Club golf tournament! The event, organized by Wave President Jill Ellis and her executive team, featured Wave players, local executives, and of course a Procopio foursome including attorneys David Gouzoules, Justin Martin, Meg Dawson and client Fernando Vargas. One celebrity participant was legendary Buffalo Bills wide receiver Andre Reed, an inductee in the Pro Football Hall of Fame! This event was yet another example of the support Procopio provides numerous sports organizations in California, fueled by our Sports and Active Lifestyle practice co-led by Neil Salyards with. He was in attendance along with Family Law Partner Sarah Taylor and CMO Kevin Wilson. A great time was had by all!

Procopio Partner Adrian Martinez will be conducting an online family law basic training course Sept. 20-21 sponsored by the California Family Law Report. This comprehensive program is customized for attorneys and staff with limited family law experience and intermediate family law attorneys looking for a thorough topic review. Joined by L.A. Superior Court Judge Anne Kiley and family law attorney Stephen Hamilton, Adrian will address every step in a marriage dissolution case from commencing with jurisdiction through judgment and post-judgment matters, as well as other key issues. Those taking the full course receive detailed materials as well as 12 Hours of MCLE Specialization Credits.

Procopio corporate attorney Natalie Dundas had the privilege of presenting an overview of mergers and acquisitions to a talented group of women senior leaders at Experian. While the topic of M&A can often be technical, Natalie says they managed to keep it engaging and even shared a few laughs along the way. Natalie supports private and public companies in a wide array of industries with a focus on M&A, including auction processes and international carve-out transactions, private equity, and corporate governance.

Don't miss the latest insightful podcast from our friends at San Diego Sport Innovators (SDSI) featuring Rx Smart Gear founder and CEO David Newman. You can always count on host Bob Rief for an insightful and entertaining conversation! Coming up soon in this podcast series is a chat with another sports industry entrepreneur featuring the co-leaders of our Sports and Active Lifestyle practice, Lisel Ferguson and Neil Salyards.

Procopio welcomes the start of Hispanic Heritage Month, where we recognize Hispanic American influence on and contributions to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States, including the legal profession. These contributions come from those of Hispanic heritage born in the U.S. as well as those born abroad who have made this country their new home. We boast both in our robust and diverse Latin America Cross-Border practice.

Let's Work Together.