Holland & Hart LLP announced the addition of a patent team from Ashurst Perkins Coie, led by partners Amanda Tessar, David St. John-Larkin, and Daniel Keese, deepening the firm’s ability to represent technology companies in high-stakes, business-critical patent matters nationwide. They will be joined in the next few weeks by Matt Pierce (Of Counsel) and Trevor Bervik (Associate), with a Paralegal anticipated to join by the end of the month.
“Patent disputes and portfolio decisions sit at the center of commercial strategy for technology companies,” said Chris Balch, chair of Holland & Hart. “With Amanda, Dave, Dan, Matt, and Trevor joining—alongside the recent additions Molly Kocialski and Elizabeth Manno—we’re strengthening our ability to support clients with trial-ready litigation and sophisticated counsel around intellectual property assets, whether the need is defensive, offensive, or transactional. Continuing to build a national destination for complex intellectual property matters is a strategic priority for the firm.”
The team expands the firm’s patent litigation capabilities across federal district court litigation, International Trade Commission (ITC) investigations, Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) proceedings, and standards-related disputes, along with strategic counseling on licensing, transactions, and portfolio development. Their collective experience spans many of the technologies driving today’s economy, including semiconductors, wireless and cellular communications, software, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, telecommunications, medical devices, biotechnology, and advanced manufacturing.
Amanda is a nationally prominent patent litigator who represents technology companies around the world in high-stakes disputes, delivering clear strategy, decisive advocacy, and business-first risk management from the first signs of a dispute through trial, settlement, and appeal.
Dan is a technology-focused patent litigator who defends companies and enforces patent rights in complex disputes before federal courts, the ITC, and the PTAB, and also litigates trade secret and unfair competition claims.
Dave is a nationally-recognized patent attorney who counsels technology companies on mission-critical IP and transactional matters. He has deep experience in patent strategy, portfolio management, licensing, standards, and open-source software. Dave’s technical experience focuses upon emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, cloud computing, and robotics.
“Holland & Hart has built something special, and we’re excited to help take it to the next level,” said Amanda. “Our team brings additional patent depth, technical expertise, and full-service national patent litigation capability. We couldn’t be more pleased or optimistic about what lies ahead.”
"Holland & Hart is the right firm at the right moment for us," said Dave. "The firm occupies a unique space in today's legal market, combining the sophistication and national reach of a firm with more than a decade of experience developing and leveraging advanced technology and workflows to support innovative clients in a moment of rapid technological change and growth in the legal industry.”
“It is an honor to join a nationally-recognized brand like Holland & Hart and to be part of building its patent litigation practice to serve its strong group of technology clients,” said Dan.
About Holland & Hart’s Patent Practice
Holland & Hart’s patent team provides technical depth and strategic counsel to protect business-critical innovation at every stage of growth. Working closely with inventors, R&D teams, and executives, we assert and enforce patent rights across technologies from wireless, semiconductors, software (including AI and cloud), and quantum computing to life sciences, manufacturing, consumer products, and standard-essential patents. Our litigation experience spans federal district courts, the Federal Circuit, the ITC, and the PTAB, where we help clients achieve their objectives through early resolution, trial, and appeal.
About Holland & Hart
Holland & Hart is a full-service law firm with more than 500 lawyers in 14 offices. Throughout the Mountain West, from coast to coast and beyond, Holland & Hart provides clients with astute legal counsel from a vantage like no other. For more information, visit hollandhart.com.