Chris Mammen (Photo: Jason Doiy/ALM)

Womble Bond Dickinson has brought on Hogan Lovells patent litigator Christian Mammen, adding to its growing Silicon Valley office.

Mammen, who has been practicing in Bay Area for over 20 years, focuses his practice on complex patent litigation. Before moving down to the Valley, Mammen spent the past six years working at Hogan Lovells' San Francisco office.

“They have been on an incredible growth trajectory over the past year and a half or so, focused heavy on IP,” Mammen said, of Womble. “I am really excited to be joining that platform.”

Having previously studied law in U.K., Mammen said Womble has been on his radar since its trans-Atlantic merger in 2017. The combination of Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice and the U.K.'s Bond Dickinson created a 1,000-lawyer plus firm with 24 offices across the U.S. and U.K. Since then, the firm has continued to add attorneys in Boston, the Silicon Valley and in its newly-launched Houston office.

“We are increasing our services in California,” said Mike Gencarella, managing partner of Womble's California offices. “With the addition of Chris, we are increasing the intellectual property services we can offer.”

According to Gencarella, IP litigation is a key component of the Silicon Valley office. Since the firm acquired California IP boutique Blakely Sokoloff Taylor Zafman last January, Womble has added more than 20 experienced IP lawyers and patent agents throughout California in Costa Mesa, Los Angeles and Sunnyvale. The firm's Boston office also added John “Jack” Penny, former chair of Nutter McClennen & Fish's intellectual property department, last summer.

Firmwide, Womble said it has about 120 attorneys in its IP practice, and over 30 of them focus on IP litigation.

“I am excited to work together with Chris to expand the practice,” said Gencarella, “We are laying the foundation for further expansion, especially in IP litigation.”

Mammen's work on IP disputes includes guiding clients in federal patent appeals in the U.S. Court of Appeals. His clients include companies in solar technology, biometric software and virtual digital assistant technology.

Before joining Hogan Lovells in 2012, Mammen had a solo practice in the Bay Area. Before that, he was an attorney at Day Casebeer Madrid & Batchelder, which was later acquired by the now-defunct firm Howrey.

His move to Womble was brokered by San Francisco-based legal recruiter Avis Caravello.

Hogan Lovells did not respond to a request for comment regarding Mammen's departure.

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