Heidi Erlacher Named Partner in Charge of Cooley's Boston Office

Boston – January 4, 2016 – Building on the momentum established by former partner in charge Al Browne, intellectual property partner Heidi Erlacher is taking the reins of Cooley's Boston office.

"I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to lead in Boston," said Erlacher, who joined the office in 2014 along with a team of approximately ten patent attorneys and additional staff, all from Mintz Levin. "It's a time of great growth for Cooley, in Boston and globally. I am focused on enhancing our ability to meet and exceed the needs of our clients."

Erlacher suceeds Browne, one of the office's founding partners, who will continue his full-time work in M&A, private equity and venture capital, where Cooley is experiencing record levels of activity.

Cooley's Boston office opened in 2007 with a team of ten partners; since then it has expanded to a team of more than 70 lawyers. Given New England's strength in incubating and growing leaders in the technology, life sciences and financial services sectors, Boston has been a natural fit for the firm's strengths in these areas. Cooley partners with a variety of local organizations that share the same goal in supporting these sectors and communities in Boston including, Mass BIO, NEVCA and NEVN, to name a few. Since opening, Cooley's Boston office has hosted an annual ‘VC/PE Roundtable' – an event that highlights practical, contemporary topics for investment funds and fund managers. At the 2015 event in October, Erlacher led an IP-focused panel discussion.

Another office highlight is Cooley's annual MedTech Growth Conference, which brings together leading executives, investors, entrepreneurs and thought leaders in one of Boston's signature verticals. The latest conference was held in October 2015; more than 100 medtech leaders gathered for discussions on cybersecurity, the dynamics of private equity and other industry-centric topics.

Erlacher is a member of Cooley's 25+ person Boston-based patent counseling and prosecution and intellectual property practices, ranking as one of the top 25 largest IP practices in Boston by the Boston Business Journal. Cooley is IP counsel to 2,000+ companies worldwide, ranging from trailblazing startups to multi-billion dollar industry leaders and recently honored as a finalist for The American Lawyer's Intellectual Property Litigation Department of the Year.

Erlacher holds a PhD in organic chemistry and has more than 15 years of experience safeguarding intellectual property and has specialized experience in the field of small molecule compositions. She works in the area of pharmaceuticals, chemistry and biotechnology, including the fields of organic and organometallic chemistry, biochemistry and nucleic acids. Erlacher counsels clients worldwide in developing and implementing patent strategies and in the prosecution and procurement of patents, portfolio management and IP due diligence. She also advises clients on transactional work, including financing events such as investments, licensing, mergers and acquisitions.

About Cooley LLP

Clients partner with Cooley on transformative deals, complex IP and regulatory matters, and high-stakes litigation, where innovation meets the law.

Cooley has 900 lawyers across 12 offices in the United States, China and Europe.

This content is provided for general informational purposes only, and your access or use of the content does not create an attorney-client relationship between you or your organization and Cooley LLP, Cooley (UK) LLP, or any other affiliated practice or entity (collectively referred to as “Cooley”). By accessing this content, you agree that the information provided does not constitute legal or other professional advice. This content is not a substitute for obtaining legal advice from a qualified attorney licensed in your jurisdiction and you should not act or refrain from acting based on this content. This content may be changed without notice. It is not guaranteed to be complete, correct or up to date, and it may not reflect the most current legal developments. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Do not send any confidential information to Cooley, as we do not have any duty to keep any information you provide to us confidential. This content may be considered Attorney Advertising and is subject to our legal notices.