June 2, 2014, ChicagoLatham & Watkins LLP1 is pleased to announce that Ann Marie Wahls has joined the firm’s Chicago office as a partner in the Litigation Department. Wahls’ practice focuses on intellectual property litigation and counseling involving patents, advertising, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets.  She regularly advises clients on patent cases and pre-litigation disputes in federal courts and at the US International Trade Commission (ITC) across an array of industries. The addition of Wahls highlights recent expansion of both the firm’s Chicago-based litigation group and its national IP litigation practice.

Wahls’ first chair experience in patent cases covers a wide range of subject matter, including: computer software and business methods; consumer products and electronics; orthopedic devices and components; industrial and automotive filters; and animal nutrition. Wahls joins from Kirkland & Ellis in Chicago, and she will be reunited with partner David Callahan, who came to Latham from the same firm in April. They join two prominent securities litigators also added to the Chicago office this year: Samuel Isaacson from DLA Piper and John Sikora, most recently an Assistant Director in the Chicago Regional Office of the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

“Ann Marie has been at the forefront of patent trials and brings further world class skills to our litigation team in Chicago. We are excited to welcome Ann Marie and add her knowledge and experience to the exceptionally strong litigation team here in Chicago,” said Brad Kotler, Office Managing Partner of Latham & Watkins in Chicago.

“Ann Marie is a great addition to our stellar national IP litigation practice, bringing not only top-notch litigation skills but an impressive scientific background that will further enhance our ability to handle even the most complex life sciences cases,” said Kenneth Schuler, Global Co-Chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property Litigation Practice Group and a partner in its Chicago office.

The IP Litigation Practice Group at Latham & Watkins now consists of more than 115 attorneys, including 36 partners, and has expertise across a broad spectrum of life sciences, ANDA and high technology intellectual property matters in venues ranging from district court litigation, ITC proceedings, inter partes reviews and other post-grant review proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, and appeals before the Federal Circuit.

Chicago partner David Callahan added: “I have known Ann Marie for many years and am very happy and proud to have her join me and our litigation team at Latham. Ann Marie is an extremely talented IP attorney, and she will be a fantastic addition to our practice.”

“I am thrilled to be joining Latham’s exceptional IP team,” Wahls said. “The firm’s collaborative and innovative environment, coupled with its strong commitment to its IP litigation practice, provides a great platform for me to serve my clients and grow my practice.”

Wahls received her law degree with honors in 2001 from DePaul University, where she was an associate editor of the Law Review and a member of the Order of the Coif.  She also holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from DePaul University. She was named a partner of Kirkland & Ellis in 2007.

About Latham & Watkins

Latham & Watkins is a global law firm with approximately 2,100 lawyers in its offices located in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the United States, including: Abu Dhabi, Barcelona, Beijing, Boston, Brussels, Chicago, Doha, Dubai, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Milan, Moscow, Munich, New Jersey, New York, Orange County, Paris, Riyadh, Rome, San Diego, San Francisco, Shanghai, Silicon Valley, Singapore, Tokyo and Washington, D.C. For more information on Latham & Watkins, please visit the website at www.lw.com.