Perkins Coie Adds Leading Intellectual Property Litigator to San Francisco Office

SAN FRANCISCO (September 23, 2019) – Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Sarah Piepmeier has joined the firm's Intellectual Property Practice as a partner in the San Francisco office. The move also marks Sarah's return to the firm, where she worked as an associate early in her legal career.

"Sarah is widely respected in the Bay Area legal community and praised by clients and peers alike as a highly skilled IP litigator and counselor," said Shannon Bloodworth, Co-Chair of Perkins Coie's Intellectual Property Practice. "We're excited to welcome Sarah back to Perkins Coie. With her extensive experience litigating complex patent cases Sarah will augment our talent in the Bay Area and further enhance our ability to serve our clients' most demanding IP needs."

A seasoned litigator, Sarah has obtained important victories for technology clients in U.S. district courts and has extensive trial experience litigating patent and other intellectual property disputes in federal district courts and before the International Trade Commission (ITC). Recently, the Daily Journal recognized Sarah and her team in the 2019 CLAY Awards: Intellectual Property for successful representation of one tech titan in its long-running IP battle.

"Sarah's addition exemplifies our continued commitment to provide top quality legal counsel and exceptional client service," said Barbara Schussman, Managing Partner of Perkins Coie's San Francisco office. "Her practice dovetails with our firm's long history of advising sophisticated technology companies, and her commitment to teamwork, diversity, and inclusion aligns with our culture and values."

On her decision to return to Perkins Coie, Sarah said: "I'm thrilled to be returning to the firm where I began my legal career. The Bay Area is a critical driver of U.S. economic prosperity, and Perkins Coie is at the forefront of its continued success."

An advocate and supporter of the Bay Area LGBTQ+ community, Sarah has an active civil rights pro bono practice and was a core member of the trial team for plaintiffs in Perry v. Schwarzenegger. Perry successfully overturned California's Proposition 8, which had banned same-sex couples from marrying, because it violated the United States Constitution. Sarah rejoins Perkins Coie from Kirkland & Ellis LLP, where she was a partner and leader in the Bay Area IP Litigation Practice. Sarah received her J.D. from the New York University School of Law and her B.A. from Wellesley College.

Perkins Coie's IP practice combines the focus and flexibility of a boutique firm with the complementary services of one of the world's leading technology law firms. The internationally recognized practice consists of more than 250 lawyers and agents who provide innovative, comprehensive counsel at every stage of IP protection and development, including patent litigation and appeals, post-grant proceedings, patent prosecution, portfolio counseling and technology licensing, as well as copyright, trademark, trade secret and unfair competition counseling and litigation. More than 175 of the attorneys in the practice have degrees in electrical engineering, computer science and life sciences-related fields, and many attorneys previously worked as scientists, engineers or in-house counsel. Attorneys in the practice immerse themselves in clients' technologies and industries, and clients benefit from our interdisciplinary approach to matters. The firm's IP practice is an industry leader in developing innovative and technology-focused solutions to better serve clients, including the firm's proprietary patent tools and portfolio analytic capabilities.