LOS ANGELES — Feb. 16, 2023
Key takeaways
- Ed Poplawski and Olivia Kim join BakerHostetler’s Los Angeles office as partners and members of the Intellectual Property Practice Group.
- Upon her arrival, Kim will lead the Los Angeles office’s Intellectual Property Practice Group.
- Adding IP litigation capabilities to the firm’s Los Angeles office diversifies its West Coast trial offerings to include securities and FINRA, white collar, class actions, antitrust, consumer protection and complex commercial litigation.
- Since 2019, the firm has added more than 100 attorneys to its West Coast offices; this team’s arrival follows the addition of nearly 20 IP professionals in Costa Mesa, led by renowned IP partners Mark Itri and Mike Dreznes; Melody Drummond Hansen (intellectual property) and Jeff Diener (real estate) in San Francisco; and Philip Eskenazi (consumer class action and securities) and Jennifer Mitchell (data privacy) in Los Angeles.
Why this matters
The arrival of Poplawski and Kim, combined with the addition of Mark Itri and Mike Dreznes and their team in March 2022, solidifies BakerHostetler’s reputation as one of the West Coast’s preeminent and full-service IP practices.
Poplawski and Kim are among a select group of the nation’s premier IP litigators. They join from an AmLaw 50 firm, and both are renowned for their trial work. Combined, they represent some of the world’s most recognized high-technology brands, ranging from the Fortune 100 to emerging growth companies. The duo has litigated matters across a range of technologies, including data transmission systems, mobile phone systems, genomics, medical devices, clinical testing, synthetic proteins, semiconductors, radar systems, electric vehicles, consumer electronics and more.
Key quote
“BakerHostetler has solidified our reputation as a go-to firm for intellectual property on the West Coast, adding a premier portfolio practice in Costa Mesa, a top IP litigator in San Francisco and now a preeminent IP litigation team in Los Angeles, all in the span of less than a year. The Los Angeles team is in excellent hands with Olivia at the helm, and I look forward to working alongside Ed, Olivia and the entire team of professionals,” said Mark Tidman, firmwide chair of the IP group.
About the team
Poplawski and Kim are among the nation’s most well-recognized and experienced trial attorneys.
Poplawski is a nationally renowned and honored attorney who has tried key cases, including as lead attorney in the groundbreaking case Cornell University v. Hewlett-Packard Co. He received the California Lawyer Attorneys of the Year Award for his successful work in IP litigation.
In addition to his trial experience, Poplawski led the global IP practice of an AmLaw 50 firm and also served on its executive and strategic planning committees. He received a J.D. from Villanova University School of Law and has an M.S. and a B.S., summa cum laude, in mechanical engineering from Drexel University.
Kim joins BakerHostetler as the firm’s Los Angeles IP group leader.
Prior to practicing law, Kim, a biochemist with a degree from UCLA, performed research in immunology and coauthored papers on immune responses in diabetic mice and methods for membrane protein purification. In private law practice, Kim has extensive national trial experience and has tried cases in California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, New York and Texas. She has been recognized as a top intellectual property attorney and an IP star by industry publications, including the Daily Journal’s Top Intellectual Property Attorneys in California.
Kim also worked alongside Poplawski in the representation of Cornell University in groundbreaking litigation with Hewlett-Packard.
Kim received a J.D. from the University of Southern California, Gould School of Law, and a B.S. in biochemistry from UCLA.
Key quotes
“Ed and Olivia’s arrival represent the firm’s commitment to strategic growth on the West Coast. We’re extremely proud that since 2019 we have added more than 100 attorneys to our West Coast offices. Both Ed and Olivia are highly regarded as two of California’s top IP litigators, and I couldn’t be happier to welcome their team to BakerHostetler to enhance our capabilities in this important practice area,” said Paul Schmidt, BakerHostetler’s chairman.
“It is rare for a firm to have the opportunity to bring attorneys of such stature on board. Olivia and Ed are a dream team, and we are delighted that they chose to bring their practice to BakerHostetler,” remarked Eric Sagerman, BakerHostetler’s Los Angeles office managing partner. “Their arrival, combined with the addition of Mark Itri’s team, cements our leading position in California’s intellectual property legal market.”
For more information on BakerHostetler’s Intellectual Property Practice Group, visit https://www.bakerlaw.com/IntellectualProperty. Connect with us on Twitter at @BakerHostetler or on LinkedIn @BakerHostetler, @EricSagerman, @MarkTidman, @PaulSchmidt, @EdPoplawski and @OliviaKim.
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About BakerHostetler
BakerHostetler helps clients around the world address their most complex and critical business and regulatory issues. Our highly ranked attorneys deliver sophisticated counsel and outstanding client service. We have six core practice groups — Business, Digital Assets and Data Management, Intellectual Property, Labor and Employment, Litigation and Tax — and more than 1,000 lawyers coast to coast. For more information, visit bakerlaw.com