Wildman Harrold Adds Christine Dudzik as Partner in IP Practice
Wildman Harrold is pleased to announce the addition of Christine A. Dudzik as a partner in its Intellectual Property Department. Ms. Dudzik joins the firm’s Chicago office after previously serving as a partner at Howrey LLP.
An IP law veteran, Ms. Dudzik developed an affinity for patent litigation early in her legal career, working on a number of high-profile cases that were significant to the biotechnology sector and the pharmaceutical industry. The first, Amgen Inc. v. Chugai Pharmaceuticals, Inc./Genetics Institute, would become one of the first major biotech patent infringement cases to go to trial involving recombinant DNA. Her interest and experience continued to grow as she worked on a number of other significant cases, including one of the first generic drug cases under the Hatch-Waxman Act, representing Ben Venue Inc. in a 1997 multidistrict patent infringement action involving an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for a chemotherapy agent. In this case, a favorable Markman decision lead to the finding that the patent was invalid for obviousness-type double patenting. Today, Ms. Dudzik is a seasoned intellectual property litigator with a reputation of success in ground-breaking cases.
Ms. Dudzik has worked extensively in patent litigation involving a broad range of technical fields including recombinant DNA, protein purification, immunology, diagnostics, chemistry, polymers, agricultural chemicals, pharmaceuticals, electrochemical processes and computer LCD technology. She has participated in all aspects of litigation and arbitrations including discovery, dispositive motions, depositions, Markman hearings, and bench and jury trials, as well as appeals to the Federal Circuit. Ms. Dudzik also represents clients in licensing matters, including the preparation and negotiation of numerous patent license agreements, research and development agreements, confidentiality agreements, and counseling with respect to other patent and trademark related matters, including due diligence, invalidity and non-infringement opinions. Prior to earning her law degree, Ms. Dudzik worked as a patent agent.
“We are excited to welcome Christine to our firm and believe that her extensive skills and experience will help us to further expand our established patent litigation practice,” said John S. Letchinger, chair of Wildman Harrold’s Intellectual Property Department. “Her background in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries is also attractive, as we seek additional growth and capabilities in those sectors of IP law.”
“Joining Wildman Harrold affords me a platform on which I can continue to develop a client-base, free of many of the conflicts present at larger firms,” Ms. Dudzik said. “Beyond that, the exceptional talent of the firm’s attorneys, an established roster of institutional clients and the collegial culture of the firm makes it a place that I will be happy to call home.”
Ms. Dudzik earned her B.S. from Northern Illinois University and her J.D. from the Chicago-Kent College of Law.
Wildman Harrold has a highly-sophisticated, boutique Intellectual Property practice that provides counsel and litigation services in every aspect of IP – spanning all of the traditional areas of patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets – to the emerging areas of information law, including electronic transactions, privacy, data security, information technology, and advertising, marketing and promotions. Attorneys in this practice area include individuals with diverse technical backgrounds and experience. The firm combines its broad general practice with its extensive intellectual property practice to offer a variety of services to clients with intellectual property needs.
About Wildman Harrold
Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon LLP is a business law firm representing Fortune 500 companies and private businesses in Litigation, Business Transactions and Intellectual Property. The national Litigation practice is recognized as one of the best in the country and was selected by Corporate Counsel magazine as a “Go-To” Law Firm. The Transactions Department provides legal counsel on all corporate matters with a highly specialized practice for private equity funds. The Intellectual Property practice addresses the full-range of IP issues, including a premier team of Privacy and Data Security attorneys.