Blank Rome Bolsters IP Litigation Practice with Addition of Partner Andrew Kopsidas in Washington, D.C.
Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that Andrew R. Kopsidas has joined the firm’s Washington, D.C. office as partner in the Intellectual Property Litigation group. Andrew focuses his practice on intellectual property (“IP”) litigation and counseling. As lead trial counsel, he represents clients before the U.S. International Trade Commission (“ITC”), the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (“PTO”), the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and district courts in dozens of states. He joins Blank Rome from Hughes Hubbard & Reed and previously practiced at Fish & Richardson for more than 20 years.
The firm has experienced strategic growth in its IP practice over the past 18 months, adding 12 partners, associates, and patent agents. Blank Rome has earned a national reputation for its IP capabilities and the expanded team enhances the firm’s deep bench of IP attorneys, as well as its geographic reach.
“We are excited to welcome Andrew to the firm,” said Grant S. Palmer, Blank Rome’s Chair and Managing Partner. “Our nationally recognized IP Litigation group is made up of a powerhouse team of attorneys with first-chair trial experience handling the most complex IP matters. Andrew’s deep experience handling a variety of IP matters in courts across the country for top domestic and international companies will further enhance the service we provide to our clients in this space.”
Andrew has handled patent, trade secret, and other IP matters before the ITC, PTO, Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and district courts in Texas, Delaware, California, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, and Wisconsin, to name a few. He has litigated cases involving autonomous vehicles, Internet applications, semiconductors, telecommunications networks and standards, mobile technology, digital signal processing, and various software, mechanical, and chemical inventions.
Andrew’s clients are among the most prominent U.S., Asian, and European companies operating across a range of industries including, telecommunications, automotive, aerospace, semiconductor, consumer electronics, and fintech. He provides strategic counseling to help his clients avoid litigation by identifying, analyzing, and mitigating potential threats. When litigation is unavoidable, Andrew consistently produces positive results for his clients.
“I’m thrilled to be working with Andrew, a longtime friend and peer,” said Paul Zeineddin, partner and co-chair of the Intellectual Property Litigation group. “Andrew dedicates a sizable portion of his practice to litigating matters in federal district courts, including the Eastern District of Texas, and to ITC work. He has been involved in dozens of high-stakes investigations, many through trial, and has a deep understanding of ITC law and procedure. Andrew’s addition will bolster our IP litigation capabilities and benefit our clients looking to defend their intellectual property as we continue to see more activity in this area.”
Andrew has a background in aerospace and electrical engineering. Before going to law school, he worked at NASA as a flight controller and systems engineer on the Hubble Space Telescope and several Space Shuttle missions. Andrew also worked as an aerospace design engineer at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C.
“I have known Paul for years and am thrilled to join him and the high-caliber team of IP attorneys at Blank Rome,” noted Andrew. “I was so impressed with the firm’s depth of talent, particularly in IP litigation, and the collaborative atmosphere they have across practices and industry teams. I’m excited to work with all of my new colleagues to support my clients, drawing upon the firm’s depth and breadth of service offerings and geographic reach.”
Beyond his IP practice, Andrew enjoys mentoring junior lawyers. He is an instructor for the National Institute for Trial Advocacy courses on trial and deposition skills. Additionally, he dedicates significant time to pro bono representation, often working with victims of human trafficking and sex trafficking to seek restitution and verdicts on their behalf.
Andrew earned his J.D. with honors from The George Washington Law School and his B.S. from the University of Maryland.