Press Release
May 20, 2009

Goodwin Procter Partner Named President of the New York Intellectual Property Law Association

NEW YORK, May 20, 2009 – Goodwin Procter is pleased to announce that Mark J. Abate, partner in the firm’s Litigation Department and member of the firm’s Intellectual Property Litigation Practice, has been named president of the New York Intellectual Property Law Association (NYIPLA). Abate will assume the leadership position at the organization’s Annual Meeting held on May 20 at the University Club in New York City. 

Established in 1922, the New York Intellectual Property Law Association serves as a vehicle to promote the development and administration of intellectual property interests, by educating the public and members of the bar on intellectual property law matters.

“I am pleased to assume the presidency of this historic organization,” said Abate. “The IP interests of American companies are a critical facet of the economy and especially during these difficult economic times, more important that ever to promote.”

The Association’s 29 active Committees and Representatives cover all aspects of IP law and practice and related topics, including alternative dispute resolution, legislative oversight and amicus briefs, meetings and forums, and continuing legal education.  The organization’s membership exceeds over 2000 IP attorneys who practice in the United States and abroad.

During his one-year term as President of the Association, Abate will have general supervision over the affairs of the association, perform the duties of chief executive officer of the association and preside at all meetings of the Association and of the Board of Directors.

Recognized by Chambers USA as one of the nation’s foremost IP lawyers, Abate has over 20 years experience practicing intellectual property law. He concentrates his practice on trials and appeals of patent infringement cases. He has particular expertise in electronics, electrical devices, computers, computer software, financial systems, and medical devices. Abate has tried cases to their successful conclusion in the U.S. district courts and the U.S. International Trade Commission.

In March of 2009, acting as lead counsel for his client Pass & Seymour (a leading supplier of electrical wiring devices)  Abate achieved a major litigation victory before the International Trade Commission (ITC). The ITC ruled that multiple China-based manufacturers and their U.S. distributors had infringed Pass & Seymour’s patents and ordered those companies and their U.S. distributors to stop importation of infringing ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) receptacles into the United States. 

In addition to litigation work, Abate counsels clients on a wide range of intellectual property matters, including preparing opinions used by clients to defend against allegations of willful infringement. He has also chaired numerous committees and subcommittees for state, local and national bar associations, including the American Bar Association, American Intellectual Property Law Association and Federal Circuit Bar Association.

Prior to joining Goodwin Procter, Abate was a partner at Morgan & Finnegan LLP. He also served as a law clerk to Chief Judge Howard T. Markey of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit from 1988 to 1990. Abate also worked as a patent examiner at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Abate has a J.D. from George Washington University and a B.S. from Rutgers University. 

About Goodwin Procter
Goodwin Procter LLP is one of the nation’s leading law firms with 900 attorneys in offices in Boston, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and Washington, D.C.  The firm’s core areas of practice are corporate, litigation and real estate, with specialized areas of focus that include financial services, private equity, technology, REITs and real estate capital markets, intellectual property, tax and products liability. Information may be found at www.goodwinprocter.com.