Industrial & Mechanical
For over three decades, McAndrews’ Industrial and Mechanical industry practice has provided a broad range of intellectual property related services to clients in industries ranging from railroads to utilities to furniture manufacturing. With over fifty professionals, many of whom have engineering or scientific degrees, the size and depth of the McAndrews team means we have firsthand experience with virtually every category of mechanical or industrial technology.
We also bring a unique, business-oriented perspective to every engagement. Effectively counseling clients in such a diverse, rapidly-changing category, demands, of course, legal and technical expertise. But it also requires a deep understanding of the client’s business objectives and competitive strategy. Commercialization of any technology does not happen in a vacuum, and in providing legal counsel, we never lose sight of the broader business picture.
To paraphrase one of our partners, simply giving a client choices isn’t lawyering. Instead, our attorneys strive to provide legal counsel within a business context – “Given factors X, Y and Z, you could do A, B and C. We recommend C and here’s why.”
Our clients are as diverse as the technologies they develop. We represent companies ranging from Fortune 500s with large, very diverse patent portfolios to cutting-edge startups who are betting everything on an innovative technology. We also have a broad array of tools with which to work on behalf of our industrial clients – we do everything from patent prosecution, licensing and formal validity and patent infringement opinions to advising clients on acquisitions. A great deal of our work is transactional.
One of the most prominent, high-stakes and challenging roles we play for our industrial and mechanical clients is with respect to litigation. Our group embraces two seemingly contradictory perspectives. On one hand, we are aggressive, tenacious litigators. Once a jury has been empaneled and a hearing has begun, our litigators are there to win, not negotiate. Barring the unexpected – a weak witness, an unfavorable ruling – you should not be in court at all if you don’t believe you will win.
On the other hand, litigation is usually not a client’s best option, and we view that as a last resort that often introduces risk, distraction and considerable expense. In most situations, litigation makes sense only when all other options have been exhausted. Unfair or unfortunate circumstances often result in bad business decisions, and litigation is a classic example. Again, and always, our industrial and mechanical group operates from a business and strategic perspective, and we do what we do with the sole purpose of advancing our clients’ interests and even more importantly, helping drive their business objectives forward.
"I have worked with many different litigation teams on a variety of complex commercial lawsuits, but I've never seen so much accomplished in so short a period of time. It was a privilege and pleasure to have the opportunity to work with each of you."
General Counsel