USPTO Acting Director Teresa Stanek Rea Returns to Crowell and Moring; Boosts U.S. and International Litigation and Regulatory Capabilities

Washington, D.C. – December 4, 2013: Crowell & Moring LLP is pleased to announce that Teresa (Terry) Stanek Rea, former acting and deputy director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and acting and deputy under secretary of commerce for intellectual property, has returned to Crowell & Moring as a partner in the firm’s Intellectual Property Group. She also joins as a director with C&M International, Ltd. (CMI), the international trade and investment consulting firm affiliated with Crowell & Moring. Rea brings to the firms an impressive breadth of domestic and international experience and skills. Her private practice background in intellectual property (IP) and international trade coupled with her senior government service combine to make Rea a true asset for advising clients in the explosive growth area of IP protection. Rea will work with clients in several key areas, including global IP policies and strategies, patent enforcement and post-grant administrative proceedings, trade secrets policy and enforcement, and digital/Internet-related copyright issues.

Rea led the USPTO through the implementation of the America Invents Act (AIA). She was actively involved in writing the regulations implementing the new inter partes review, covered business method review, and post-grant review proceedings created by the AIA, and she negotiated numerous IP issues with foreign officials. Rea was the senior official responsible for the administration’s formulation and implementation of U.S. intellectual property policies, including patent, copyright, and trade secret issues.

“Terry’s experience and record of success will be enormously beneficial to our clients, whose needs cover the spectrum of IP issues – from litigation and counseling to global trade concerns. With her knowledge of international markets, especially in the Asia Pacific region, and her hands-on industry and government experience, Terry is in a unique position to advise clients on complex intellectual property issues. She personifies excellence, and we are proud to welcome her back to our team,” said Mark Supko, chair of Crowell & Moring’s Intellectual Property Group.

At Crowell & Moring, Rea will focus her practice on U.S. and international IP disputes and policy issues, complex patent litigation and inter partes administrative proceedings, trade secrets protection and enforcement, IP infringement and validity opinions, IP licensing, counseling, and patent portfolio development, management, and monetization. Rea will continue to work with clients in many industries, including pharmaceuticals, life sciences, biotechnology, chemicals, medical devices, publishing, healthcare, and others. Rea will advise clients on privacy, piracy, trademarks, issues related to global top level domains (gTLDs), and trade secrets matters.

“Crowell & Moring and CMI are highly respected nationally and internationally for an impressive and consistent track record of successfully guiding clients through complex litigation and public policy issues. I am thrilled to return to the Crowell & Moring family because I value the unique mix of substantive expertise, litigation prowess, and regulatory experience,” said Rea. “I am excited about reconnecting with my clients and my colleagues.”

In her role with CMI, Rea is expected to advise clients on domestic copyright reform, trade secrets rulemaking, and on the important IP and dispute resolution chapters of trade agreements.

“During her recent tenure as the U.S. government’s chief intellectual property official, Terry was instrumental in formulating policy on key IP issues domestically and abroad. Our clients will benefit greatly from her comprehensive knowledge and counsel on their trade and IP-related concerns,” said Doral Cooper, chairman and CEO of CMI.

Rea is the former president of the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) and the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Prior to establishing her private legal practice, Rea was a patent attorney for a multinational chemical company. She is also a licensed pharmacist. She obtained her J.D. from Wayne State University and her B.S. from the University of Michigan.

CMI provides strategic policy analysis, risk mitigation, and negotiations management counsel on trade, investment, and regulatory matters worldwide. CMI represents a broad range of clients in the information technology, financial services, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and publishing industries.

Crowell & Moring LLP is an international law firm with more than 500 lawyers representing clients in litigation and arbitration, regulatory, and transactional matters. The firm is internationally recognized for its representation of Fortune 500 companies in high-stakes litigation, as well as its ongoing commitment to pro bono service and diversity. The firm has offices in Washington, D.C., New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orange County, Anchorage, London, and Brussels.