Ice Miller Boosts Life Sciences and Biotech Presence in Philadelphia with Addition of Two

Ice Miller LLP continues to add depth to its life sciences and biotech Intellectual Property practice as it welcomes patent agent Dr. Kaori Watanabe and senior counsel Dr. Sheldon Heber to its Philadelphia office.
 
“The experience of Drs. Watanabe and Heber further strengthen our expertise in life sciences and biotechnology patent law,” said Dr. Weihong Hsing, Ice Miller partner. “Kaori’s years of cutting-edge research and Sheldon’s experience as an in-house managing patent counsel also add more real world experience outside of the practice of law to our team, which allows us to better serve our clients’ unique intellectual property needs.”
 
Prior to joining Ice Miller, Kaori was a patent agent at an intellectual property law firm. There, she prepared and prosecuted patent applications related to immune therapies, stem cells, medical devices and nanotechnologies. She also conducted prior art, freedom to operate and due diligence searches.
 
Before switching to the patent field, Kaori focused her research on elasticity of titin, the largest protein expressed in human muscle, at the level of single molecules, as well as the structure and function of an actin-based filter in the proximal axon. She has co-authored multiple research articles in scientific journals including PNAS, Cell Reports and the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
 
Sheldon is a seasoned patent attorney with extensive experience in different areas including world-wide patent portfolio development, life-cycle management, IP due diligence, patentability analysis and freedom to operate review. His experience also includes supporting post patent issuance proceedings, licensing and mergers and acquisitions. Sheldon’s technical areas of practice includes pharmaceuticals, biopharmaceuticals and biotechnology.
 
Prior to joining Ice Miller, Sheldon was a patent attorney at one of the largest pharmaceutical companies where his group supported the infectious disease therapeutic area as well as vaccines.  He also spent time in private practice before working in-house.
 
In March 2020, Ice Miller welcomed a preeminent life sciences team to its Intellectual Property Practice Group. Based in the Firm’s Philadelphia office and led by Weihong, these individuals merge their science and technology backgrounds with the practice of law to provide clients with a range of complex legal services, including patent preparation and prosecution, licensing and patent due diligence.
 
About Ice Miller LLP
Ice Miller LLP is a full-service law firm dedicated to helping our clients stay ahead of a changing world. With over 340 legal professionals in seven offices, we advise clients on all aspects of complex legal issues across more than 20 practice areas. Our clients include emerging growth companies, FORTUNE 500 corporations, municipal entities and nonprofits. Learn more about Ice Miller and our client commitments.
 
This press release is intended for general information purposes only and does not and is not intended to constitute legal advice.