Continuing the expansion of its San Francisco footprint and intellectual property capabilities, Mintz, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. announced that William B. Kezer, Ph.D., an experienced patent prosecutor formerly of Kilpatrick Townsend, has joined the firm as a Member in the San Francisco office.  With a breadth of experience in life sciences and pharmaceuticals, he marks the latest significant addition to the firm’s nationally prominent IP practice, which last year attracted a group of 18 former Edwards Wildman attorneys.

“The firm is about to conclude the best fiscal year in its history, and that success, as well as our top-flight intellectual property practice, allows us to attract attorneys like Bill,” said Bob Bodian, Mintz Managing Member. “His strong client base and focus on life sciences complement our existing capabilities and will enable us to continue to grow the practice and the firm, and best serve our clients, both on the West Coast and nationally.”

“Having established a strong presence in San Francisco, we continue to look for opportunities to further enhance our practice areas with the addition of experienced attorneys, such as Bill, whose backgrounds and areas of expertise offer strategic synergies,” said Paul Churchill, Managing Member of Mintz San Francisco office and a Member of the firm’s Policy Committee. “Building on the firm’s recruiting success over the past year, we anticipate additional growth in California, particularly as demand for sophisticated legal services in this dynamic marketplace increases.”

Mr. Kezer counsels companies on development and management of patent portfolios and conducts due diligence reviews of targeted companies and technologies. He has expertise in technology underlying the pharmaceutical industry including drug development methods, formulations and drug delivery technologies, as well as other chemicals and small molecules. Prior to practicing law, Mr. Kezer served as a Senior Research Scientist and Project Leader for FMC Corporation and Dow Chemical Company/Dow Elanco.  His research was focused on the design and synthesis of small molecule regulators of biological processes.

“The fact that Bill has been called ‘something of a guru on small molecules’ by IAM Patent 1000 only begins to scratch the surface of his knowledge and expertise,” added Michael T. Renaud, Division Head for the Intellectual Property Section and a Member of the firm’s Policy Committee.   “He is a respected member of the IP legal community, has been actively involved in AIPLA leadership, and is going to be a tremendous asset to our clients, our practice and the firm.”

Mr. Kezer is the Past Chair of the AIPLA Chemical Practice Committee.  A graduate of Humboldt State University, he earned his law degree from Golden Gate University and his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley.