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Cooley Secures Key Patent Infringement Decision for Gevo

Palo Alto, Calif. – June 20, 2012 – Cooley LLP announced today that a Delaware federal judge denied a motion for preliminary injunction against Cooley client Gevo Inc., in a patent infringement suit filed by Butamax. The Opinion, delivered on June 19, stated that "the court has concluded that plaintiff does not hold a valid patent, nor would the defendant infringe if it did."

Gevo is a leading renewable chemicals and advanced biofuels company that produces its isobutanol using a proprietary recombinant yeast that is genetically engineered to produce it at a high yield. Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC is a joint venture between British Petroleum and DuPont.

A cross-office Cooley patent litigation team was led by partners Jim Brogan and Michelle Rhyu, with associates Carolyn Juarez, Jesse Dyer, and Daniel Knauss.

"The judgment marks a great step forward for Gevo," Brogan said. "Our client can now focus on growth and on the further development of its highly innovative biofuels products."

A larger team of 17 Cooley attorneys and paralegals from around the firm's US offices have been dedicated to protecting Gevo's interests during a long-running series of disputes with Butamax. Cooley has one of the nation's leading patent litigation practices and was recently named to the National Law Journal's ‘Intellectual Property Hotlist 2012' of elite IP departments at major US law firms.

About Cooley LLP

Cooley's 650 attorneys have an entrepreneurial spirit and deep, substantive experience, and are committed to solving clients' most challenging legal matters. From small companies with big ideas to international enterprises with diverse legal needs, Cooley has the breadth of legal resources to enable companies of all sizes to seize opportunities in today's global marketplace. The firm represents clients across a broad array of dynamic industry sectors, including technology, life sciences, venture capital, clean energy, real estate and retail.

The firm has full-service offices in ten major business and technology centers: Palo Alto, CA; New York, NY; San Diego, CA; San Francisco, CA; Reston, VA; Broomfield, CO; Washington, DC; Boston, MA; Seattle, WA; and Shanghai, China.

Related Contacts
Daniel Knauss  Partner Palo Alto