Oblon Welcomes New Patent Professionals

Alexandria, VA – Oblon, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt, LLP welcomes back Senior Attorney Soumya (Soum) Panda in its Electrical/Mechanical (E/M) Practice Group. Mr. Panda received his B.S. in electrical and computer engineering and his M.S. in electrical engineering from the University of Colorado in 2001 and 2003.  He subsequently obtained his J.D. from the University of New Hampshire in 2006.

“I am delighted to be back at Oblon, a premier IP boutique law firm.  Its culture, infrastructure, diversity, and depth in expertise sets it apart from so many others.”  said Soum Panda.  “I look forward to engaging in various aspects of patent practice at Oblon, from top quality prosecution matters, to complex post grant proceedings, to high stakes litigation.”

“We are happy to have Soum back on our team,” said Surinder Sachar (“Sach”), Head of the E/M Practice Group.  “His strong work ethics, ability to think outside the box, and his legal and technical expertise make him a great fit.”

Stephen McBride also joins Oblon in the Electrical/Mechanical (E/M) Practice Group. He previously practiced Intellectual Property litigation and ITC Section 337 Litigation at a large global firm. He received a B.S. in electrical and computer engineering cum laude from West Virginia University in 1999 and his J.D. from Columbia University School of Law in 2006.

Oblon will also welcome two summer associates on May 21.  “We are always looking for young talent with knowledge of the latest cutting edge technologies,” said Philippe Signore, Managing Partner at Oblon.  Alex Wettermann, with a B.S.E. in electrical engineering from Princeton University will join the E/M Practice Group; and Yun Dong, with a B.S. in biological sciences from Peking University, will join the Litigation Practice Group.  “With two patent litigations trials scheduled for this summer, one in the ITC and one in District court of Delaware, each case with parallel post-grant proceedings, Alex and Yun should have a busy summer with us,” said Tia Fenton, litigation partner and coordinator of  the Oblon summer program.

“Our firm has benefited from growth in various markets. We are looking forward to welcoming more patent professionals in the coming months, each with various skills and expertise so that we, as a firm, can continue to handle the full gamut of services for our clients, from securing small to large portfolios, to drafting opinions, and managing post-grant proceedings and litigations, for any technology,” said Philippe Signore.  “These new members of our team appreciate the healthy and balanced work environment that Oblon provides. In addition to enabling them to practice patent law on exciting matters, our firm provides a balanced culture where people enjoy coming to work on a daily basis, collaborating with each other and forming a caring community.  As a small example, next month, our in-house client representatives, IP professionals and staff will enjoy watching World Cup Soccer Games in our big lunch room.  Many other activities bind us throughout the year, which is why so many of  our staff and professionals have stayed with Oblon for over 20, 25 and even 30 years. This year, Oblon will celebrate its 50th Anniversary, and we look forward to the 60th, to be celebrated with old timers and new comers alike.”

About Oblon

Assisting clients for over 50 years, Oblon is one of the largest intellectual property law firms in the United States. Oblon’s legal professionals provide a full range of intellectual property services to some of the world’s leading innovators. Oblon is headquartered within steps of the United States Patent and Trademark Office with an affiliate office in Tokyo, Japan.