Eagle Robinson of Norton Rose Fulbright. Courtesy photo
Eagle Robinson, a Norton Rose Fulbright intellectual property partner in Austin, is the new U.S. head of IP transactions and patent prosecution at the global firm, after time leading the firm's innovation committee.
Robinson, who moved into his new role this month, succeeds Austin partner Mark Wilson, who led the practice for six years.
"Eagle has been outstanding in guiding our innovation committee, so we wanted to expand his leadership responsibilities within the firm," Jeff Cody, a Texas partner who is U.S. managing partner for the global firm, said in a press release.
Cody wrote that Robinson's attention to innovative solutions and service will benefit the IP transactions and patent prosecution team and its clients.
Robinson handles both patent portfolio development and post-issuance patent validity trials before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board for patent holders and petitioners. On the transactional side, he negotiates joint-development agreements and patent licenses, and does IP due diligence.
The IP leader said his goals start and end with client service.
"If our clients are happy, I'm happy," he said.
The practice has been "incredibly busy" over the last couple of years, he said, and has hired in various offices, including in Chicago. When the firm launched an office in Chicago in April, lateral hires included an eight-attorney technology transactions, intellectual property and cybersecurity group from K&L Gates.
"It is absolutely a growing practice area. One of the things we see is even in market fluctuations, innovative companies continue to invest," he said.
Robinson declined to identify firm clients in the IP transactions and patent prosecution area. However, according to the firm, engagements include helping a multinational corporation maximize return on research and development investments by securing patent protection for energy transition technologies, representing a nutrition science company through parallel patent trial and appeal board proceedings, and guiding patent portfolio development for major universities and research institutions.
Robinson said there is no set term for his leadership role.
Brenda Sapino Jeffreys
Senior reporter Brenda Sapino Jeffreys covers the business of law in Texas. Contact her at [email protected] On Twitter: @BrendaSJeffreys