PHILADELPHIA (PRWEB)
March 02, 2020

Philadelphia IP law firm Panitch Schwarze Belisario & Nadel LLP is pleased to announce that Travis W. Bliss, Ph.D., J.D. has joined the firm as a Partner, and Stephany G. Small, Ph.D., has joined the firm as a patent agent.

Bliss is an experienced patent attorney and will be a partner in the firm’s biotechnology and life science practice group. He has significant experience with domestic and foreign patent applications and trademark procurement. His practice also involves IP counseling, providing a comprehensive view of the IP landscape to help clients to determine strategy. His experience in life sciences includes assisting companies in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, as well in the agriculture, horticulture, cannabis, and hemp industries. Bliss is a thought leader in the area of procuring and monetizing IP protections for plant-based inventions, including novel cannabis and hemp varieties and products. He also is ranked in the Nationwide Band 1 for cannabis law by Chambers USA.

Bliss’s IP litigation experience includes litigating patent and trademark infringement disputes, trade secret disputes, licensing disputes and inventorship disputes in both state and federal courts. He has defended both large and small companies against charges of trade secret misappropriation and patent infringement. Bliss has litigated numerous disputes, including patent interference and inter partes review proceedings, before the U.S. Patent Office’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB).

Bliss earned his bachelor’s degree in animal science with a concentration in agricultural biotechnology and his doctoral degree in animal science focusing on molecular genetics, immunology, and biotechnology from the University of Delaware. He received his law degree, summa cum laude, from Widener University. Prior to joining Panitch Schwarze, he served as chair of the IP Biotechnology & Life Sciences practice group at Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney P.C.

Small is an experienced patent agent with expertise in life science fields. As a new member of the firm’s life sciences practice group, Small provides technical support and scientific expertise in the pharmaceutical and biotechnical arts, as well as in the area of IP protections for novel plant varieties. She assists clients in the preparation, filing and prosecution of domestic and foreign patent applications, as well as conducting searches and reviews for due diligence, patentability and freedom to operate analyses. She is involved in FDA Orange Book submissions and Patent Term Extension Applications, and has also litigated patent interferences and inter partes review proceedings before the U.S. Patent Office’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB).

Small earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and theology from The Franciscan University of Steubenville and her doctoral degree in cellular and microbial biology from The Catholic University of America, where she was recognized with the Roland M. Nardone Award for Excellence in Teaching Assistance. Prior to joining Panitch Schwarze, Small worked as a patent agent at another law firm in the Philadelphia area.

“We are pleased to welcome Travis and Stephany to our life sciences team,” said managing partner Martin Belisario “Their experience in sciences, including novel plant varieties, complements our team members’ experience and skills to expand the firm’s ability to support our clients’ growing needs in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology arena.”

To learn more, visit the firm’s website.

About Panitch Schwarze Belisario & Nadel LLP – Panitch Schwarze Belisario & Nadel LLP is a boutique intellectual property law firm with offices in Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware. The firm’s IP law practitioners provide strategic litigation, licensing and counseling service relating to patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets, domain names and internet issues domestically and internationally. The firm’s long-standing relationships with a network of associates worldwide enable its attorneys and advisors to provide clients with global intellectual property advice and protection.

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