Alston & Bird intellectual property (IP) partners Jason Cooper, Chris Douglas, and Yuri Mikulka have been recognized among the world’s top IP strategists by Intellectual Asset Management in the 2021 edition of the “IAM Strategy 300: The World’s Leading IP Strategists.”
As highlighted by the publication: “These are the individuals who offer top-tier services relating to the development and implementation of strategies which enable IP owners to maximise the value of their portfolios. They do not see issues from just one perspective; instead, they see value creation in the round. It is this 360-degree perspective, combined with a demonstrable ability to deliver, which makes them stand out from the crowd.”
For Cooper, who is co-chair of Alston & Bird’s Intellectual Property Practice, this is the fifth year in a row that he has been named to this prestigious guide. Focusing his practice on mechanical, manufacturing, and medical device technologies, he manages patent portfolios of various domestic and international clients and helps monetize those portfolios. He also prepares and prosecutes patent applications before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and is experienced in all aspects of ex parte and inter partes patent practice.
The ranking is the latest in a series of awards earned by Cooper. He was also named to the 2021 “IAM Patent 1000 – The World’s Leading Patent Professionals” and recognized as an “IP Star” by Managing Intellectual Property in its 2021 rankings of the world’s leading IP practitioners and practices.
Douglas, a member of Alston & Bird’s Patent Prosecution, Counseling & Review Team, represents both petitioners and patent owners in post-grant proceedings while also maintaining a robust pre-grant patent prosecution practice. His familiarity with both pre-grant and post-grant proceedings informs his ability to counsel and secure foreign and domestic patent rights for his clients.
Recognized as one of the more active post-grant practitioners nationwide, Douglas has been consistently ranked by patent research firm Patexia as among the most-active and best-performing attorneys representing both petitioners and patent owners since 2018. He was also named to the 2021 “IAM Patent 1000.”
A member of Alston & Bird’s Intellectual Property Litigation Group, Mikulka defends clients in court actions, arbitrations, and pre-suit disputes nationwide. She focuses her practice on patent, trademark, and copyright infringement; trade secret misappropriation; and complex business litigation.
For three years straight, Mikulka has been recognized as one of the most influential people in Los Angeles by the Los Angeles Business Journal. She was also named a 2021 legal “visionary” in the “Business of Law: Trends, Updates, Visionaries & In-House Counsel Leadership Awards Magazine” published by the Los Angeles Times and honored as one of California’s “Top Trade Secrets Lawyers” in 2020 by the Daily Journal. In addition to being president-elect of the Federal Bar Association (LA Chapter) and division director of the American Bar Association Litigation Section, Mikulka serves as the Ninth Circuit representative of the 19-member American Bar Association Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary, which evaluates all federal judicial nominees.
The “IAM Strategy 300: The World’s Leading IP Strategists” is based on research by senior members of the global IP community. To be considered for the rankings, candidates must be nominated by at least three people from outside their own organization. Those who qualify are regarded by the publication as “best-in-class” when it comes to helping business and IP owners gain maximum value from their intellectual assets.