Eric Sophir (left) and Gary Solomon of Foley & Lardner (Courtesy photos)

Milwaukee-based Foley & Lardner is beefing up its IP and electronics practice groups in Washington, D.C., and Dallas, adding a four-lawyer team from Dentons.

Partner Eric Sophir, former co-chair of Denton's IP group, will join Foley's IP and electronics practice groups along with partner Gary Solomon, senior counsel Matthew Horton and associate Kamyar Maserrat. All but Solomon, who is based in Dallas, will work out of the firm's D.C. office.

"Our electronics practice group just came off a record year in revenue and head count growth, and this team's significant collective practice will surely help us continue this upward trend," Christopher McKenna, co-chair of Foley's electronics practice group, said in a statement. "They are a terrific strategic match in terms of clients, practice and geography, and we are thrilled to welcome them to the team."

Sophir has a broad practice advising clients on IP matters, including defending innovations through patent prosecutions and litigation, building market share and monetizing patents.

"The IP group is a very important component to Foley," Sophir said in an interview. "There is a very strong bench for patent litigation, and my clients are often in a position where they are being sued or they are eager to file suit against a competitor. We were attracted to that strong bench in order to better serve our clients."

Sophir said that, while he could not name specific clients, he and his team spoke with their existing client base and many were "very excited" about the move.

He also said he expects one more member of the former Dentons team to make the jump to Foley in the next couple of weeks.

Solomon, who spent 10 years as a practicing engineer before turning to the law for the past 20 years, focuses on "patent preparation, prosecution, and the monetization and protection of intellectual property assets", the firm said.

"Foley is a full-service firm with a strong understanding of how intellectual property integrates into business and belongs in a general practice firm, as well as an excellent cross-selling philosophy that strongly benefits clients," Solomon said in a statement. "I'm extremely pleased to join such a great firm with great people."

Horton had returned to Dentons in November after a brief stint at Arnold & Porter. The firm said he focuses on "cybersecurity platforms and processes, mobile devices and applications, cloud computing systems, and computer hardware and semiconductor technologies."

Maserrat is a former patent attorney with IBM, and works on matters relating to cloud computing, natural language processing, data analytics and migration, e-commerce, "and other software and business method innovations." the firm said.

Foley has been investing in its IP practice. The firm added Stephen Smerek, an IP litigator from Winston & Strawn, to its L.A. office in October 2019.

"This group's arrival immediately enhances our IP capabilities in Texas and deepens our electronics practice in D.C.," Paul Hunter, co-chair of Foley's electronics practice group, said in a statement.  "We are pleased to welcome them to the firm and look forward to their contributions as we continue to grow our national practice."

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