Intellectual Property Lawyer Len Jacoby Joins Cleary Gottlieb

International law firm Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP announced today that Leonard C. Jacoby, 36, head of the intellectual property and technology transactions practice in Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati’s New York office, will join Cleary Gottlieb as a partner, effective January 1, 2007. Mr. Jacoby will be based in Cleary Gottlieb’s  New York office.

“Len’s addition to our intellectual property practice significantly expands and deepens the level of service that we can offer our clients in this area,” said Cleary Gottlieb Managing Partner Mark Walker. “As a resident expert in U.S. intellectual property and technology matters, Len will work with our partners and counsel around the world in advising clients on IP issues in the context of their corporate, M&A and capital markets transactions as well as strategic alliances, licenses and other IP-driven deals.”

“His broad-based experience advising both public and private companies, as well as financial institutions, across several industries and geographic regions makes him a perfect fit for Cleary Gottlieb. He will bolster our ability to offer clients world-class full-service legal advice in complex cross-border matters.”

Mr. Jacoby represents public and private companies in complex, global business deals that involve intellectual property rights, products and technology. He helps clients structure and negotiate transactions, including strategic collaborations, joint ventures, licenses, research and development agreements, and manufacturing and distribution agreements. Mr. Jacoby also advises companies, investment banks and private equity firms on IP aspects of mergers and acquisitions, spin-offs, investments, and public offerings. His diverse industry experience includes financial services, software, IT and communication technology, and life sciences. Representative companies that Mr. Jacoby has advised include Nuance Communications, TD Ameritrade, RenaissanceRe, Genta, KV Pharmaceutical and Verance.

As part of a leading global practice, Cleary Gottlieb lawyers command the resources to address the multi-disciplinary legal issues that impact intellectual property. The firm’s practice includes significant experience in acquisitions, commercial transactions, advisory counseling, licensing and technology arrangements, antitrust and competition law, and domestic and international patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret litigation and arbitration.

“I am thrilled to be joining Cleary Gottlieb,” said Mr. Jacoby. “Cleary Gottlieb offers a uniquely global platform that is an excellent match for my practice and professional goals. I look forward to working with my new colleagues and focusing on IP issues arising in our clients’ transactions throughout the world.”

Mr. Jacoby joined Wilson Sonsini when they opened their New York office almost six years ago, and became a partner at the firm in 2003. Prior to joining Wilson Sonsini, he was an intellectual property associate at Kirkland & Ellis’ New York office, and subsequently obtained business and legal experience at a consulting firm and start up company. Mr. Jacoby received his law degree from Harvard Law School in 1994 and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Yale University in 1991. He teaches classes on intellectual property transactions at the University of Pennsylvania Law School and Brooklyn Law School in New York. He is a Member of the Bar in New York and Massachusetts.

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About Cleary Gottlieb

Founded in 1946 by lawyers committed to legal excellence, internationalism and diversity, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP is one of the leading international law firms with approximately 850 lawyers around the world. Chambers Global recently named Cleary Gottlieb Global Competition/Antitrust Law Firm of the Year and Latin American Law Firm of the Year. Additionally, the 2007 edition of the Chambers Global guide recognizes Cleary Gottlieb as a leading international law firm, with 51 top-ranked practices and 87 leading lawyers worldwide. Thomson Reuters ranked the firm #1 in U.S. IPOs as managers’ counsel for the first half of 2006, and #1 on the European equity capital markets table as issuers’ counsel for the first three quarters of 2006. Also, in 2006, LatinFinance rated Cleary Gottlieb as the Best International Securities Law Firm for the third consecutive year, International Tax Review named Cleary Gottlieb U.S. Tax Firm of the Year in Europe, and the firm’s Brussels office received International Law Office’s Client Choice Award for Belgium. Cleary Gottlieb has offices in New York, Washington, D.C., Paris, Brussels, London, Moscow, Frankfurt, Cologne, Rome, Milan, Hong Kong and Beijing.