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Assistance to IP Firms
If you have the abliity to assist victims, please send us an e-mail (aipla@aipla.org) detailing the support you can offer and complete contact information for someone wishing to take advantage of your offer. We will continue to post additional information as it becomes available.
A message from a New Orleans Firm:
Thank you for your offers of support. I am glad to report that all members of the New Orleans law firm of Milling Benson Woodward, LLP, are well and our law firm is operating out of our Baton Rouge and Lafayette offices. We are shaken but not broken, and we will continue our practice in Intellectual Property and all other areas. We expect to resume full operations shortly.
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Free Office Space
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Falls Church, VA — Birch, Stewart, Kolasch and Birch, LLP [www.bskb.com] is a law firm in Falls Church, Virginia specializing in Intellectual Property matters. We are located within a short drive to the United States Patent and Trademark Office in Northern Virginia and to all courts and government facilities in the Washington D.C. area. We have available a private suite of offices (approx. 6,800 sq. ft. with private entrance and parking) in our Class A office building. We will make this space available for use, free of charge, to any intellectual property law firm, corporate patent department, or similar organization that has been displaced by the disastrous conditions in Louisiana and other parts of the Gulf Region. We will also provide what we can in the way of available furnishings, equipment and other assistance.
Interested and qualifying firms or organizations should contact Charles Gorenstein, Partner, or John Sadowski, Executive Director, at Telephone (703) 205-8000; Facsimile (703) 205-8050.
Birch, Stewart, Kolasch and Birch, LLP [www.bskb.com] is one of the largest Intellectual Property law firms in the United States. We are located in the Washington, D.C. suburban area, specializing in patents, trademarks, and all other areas of intellectual property practice in the United States and worldwide.
Birch, Stewart, Kolasch and Birch is matching all of its employees’ donations to the American Red Cross relief fund, and encourages other business and organizations to take similar measures to help meet the staggering needs of so many persons impacted by this disaster.
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Santa Clara, CA — Heimlich Law is a small IP firm in Silicon Valley (Santa Clara, CA). Our offer is probably best suited to a solo practitioner. We have available an office as part of a suite, a computer, full access to phones, fax, Internet, etc. We are close to a law library, etc. We also have arrangements for housing at a reduced rate and/or delayed payment in a single family house in which 3 of 4 rooms are available.
Interested and qualifying individuals should contact Alan Heimlich at ph: 408-253-3860 or fax: 408-257-9904.
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Westlake Village, CA — SoCal IP Law Group, LLP. Our firm will donate use of 3 offices and support staff space in our Westlake Village offices, including computers, phones, etc.
Interested and qualifying individuals should contact Steven Sereboff at ph: 805-230-1350 or fax: 805-230-1355.
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Dallas, TX — Hitchcock Evert LLP has offered an office and assistance with IT support to a member effected by Hurricane Katrina, to help in maintaining his or her practice needs. Interested and qualifying members should contact David Hitchcock at ph: 214-953-1111 or fax: 214-953-1121.
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Houston, TX — Osha • Liang L.L.P. We have offices available (3 exterior and 2 interior) in our class A space in downtown Houston that we would make available free of charge on a short or medium-term basis to a displaced IP attorney or firm. Interested parties please contact John (Hunter) Osha directly at ph: 713-228-8600 or fax: 713-228-8778.
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Palm Beach Gardens, FL — McHale & Slavin, P.A. [www.mspatents.com] is a small law firm that limits it practice to Intellectual Property matters. We have available a suite of approximately 3,000 sq. ft in a newly constructed hurricane rated building. Having experienced hurricanes from Andrew to last year’s quadruple strike, we are amply equipped to handle such situations and employ the latest in scanning, phone, and internet technologies permitting a near paperless office to permit forwarding of work to employees unable to relocate. We will make this space, including T1 internet access, available for use, free of charge, to any Intellectual Property Law firm that has been displaced due to the Hurricane. We offer our thoughts and prayers to your recovery.
Interested firms may contact Michael Slavin, managing partner at phone (561) 625-6575; fax (561) 625-6572 or email palmbeach@mspatents.com
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Chicago, IL — We are a 75 attorney IP firm located in Chicago's Sears Tower. We have about 10,000 square feet of fully furnished (ready for occupancy) office space that we are pleased to offer as interim space for any displaced law firm willing to relocate to Chicago on a temporary basis. It is currently unoccupied by our firm and our lease does not expire for some time. We can also provide about 40 complete cpu's and telephones and can assist in helping set up networks, etc. The space can easily accommodate 30 to 40 people comfortably.
On behalf of our Executive Committee, partners and the other members of our firm, we extend our heartfelt prayers and wishes to all those affected by Katrina and hope that lives and livelihoods remain safe and secure.
Interested and qualifying individuals should contact Mary K. Kelly, Director of Administration, Marshall, Gerstein & Borun LLP, phone: (312) 423-3448, email: mkelly@marshallip.com.
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Arlington, VA — Litman Law, Arlington, Virginia, will help any way we can, including: 1) use of interim office space in our building with T-1 access, phones, furniture, equipment, supplies, storage, conference rooms and parking; 2) use of our office for receiving messages, faxes or mail; 3) filing your documents at the PTO; 4) helping with drawings, searches or prosecution matters; and 5) whatever other office or professional courtesies requested. Depending on what is needed, Litman Law will provide this at no cost if at all possible. We will even consider employing displaced staff on a temporary basis until your office is operational again. Feel free to email Richard Litman at litman@4patent.com with any request. We want to help all who need it.
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Fort Lauderdale, FL — Christopher & Weisberg, P.A. (www.cwcip.com) is a small law firm that limits it practice to Intellectual Property matters. We have two offices available, free of charge, in a Class “A” office building. For more information please contact John Christopherat phone (954) 828-1488; fax (954) 828-1488; jchristopher@cwcip.com.
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Sandy, UT — Starkweather and Associates, offers the following for IP law firms in need because of hurricane Katrina: 1. Office Space – we have open offices; 2. Help with filing patent, trademark, or other papers; 3. Relocation help. Please contact Michael Starkweather, Rick Edge, or Jason Webb at the phone number or address below. Phone: (801) 272-8368; Fax: (801) 748-1030; address: 9035 South 1300 East, Suite 200, Sandy, UT 84095.
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Houston, TX — Novak Druce & Quigg LLP, an intellectual property firm with a diverse national and international client base with principal offices in Houston Texas and Washington DC, will make available to intellectual property practices and corporate intellectual property or law departments space in its Houston Texas offices. We are located on the 53rd floor of Wells Fargo Plaza and can accommodate a group of up to 10 attorneys, together with support. We are also available to extend and offer some IT support. There would be no rental charge during this time of need and rebuilding. Qualified firms, departments or individuals should contact Gregory V. Novak, directly at 210.860.9252 or via e-mail at Greg.novak@novakdruce.com.
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Houston, TX — We have some free office space that we wanted to offer any member of AIPLA affected by the Hurricane. It is located in downtown Houston (CBD) with a total of 1,650 square feet of office space ready for immediate move-in. Short-term leases are also available, but will offer free rent to those affected. The office is located at 1301 Travis Ave. otherwise known as Travis Tower in the heart of the CBD. I hope this helps.
We also have up to 30,558 square feet available with reduced rates for AIPLA members affected by the Hurricane. We will also build this out to any IP attorney's specs.
If you have any more questions, please feel free to contact Mr. Dave Hanusa directly at (713) 963-1003.
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Assistance to Students
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Regent's School of Undergraduate Studies is offering free tuition, up to 15 credit hours, to all students who were scheduled to begin classes this fall at regionally accredited colleges and universities that have been closed by their governing body as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Regent Undergrad has established a toll-free number, 1-800-240-0115 for students and their parents to inquire about the opportunity, or to apply. Information and inquires are also available at www.RegentUndergrad.com/katrina.
Regent's School of Law is also offering free tuition for the fall semester for up to 25 students from Loyola University-New Orleans and Tulane University. Contact Assistant Dean Stephen McPherson at 757-226-4640 for more details.
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Attention Tulane and Loyola, New Orleans Law Students: Texas Wesleyan University School of Law will accept up to 40 2L and 3L Tulane and Loyola students as visitors for the fall semester (and the spring if Tulane and Loyola are unable to restart classes). We will waive tuition and the cost of books. Because Loyola has decided to hold 1L classes on the campus of the University of Houston, we are unable to accept 1L students from Loyola as visitors. Tulane has not yet decided whether it will hold 1L classes. We will accept 1L students from Tulane on an unofficial visiting basis until that decision is made. If Tulane decides to hold 1L classes, we will be unable to accept Tulane 1L students as visitors. To receive more information on visiting at Texas Wesleyan this fall, immediately contact Professor Vickie Rainwater, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, at 817-212-3952 or vrainwater@law.txwes.edu .
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Discounted Services
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Legal Illustration: LegalCAD is a full service drafting and printing corporation specifically tailored to serve law firms. We manage all forms of illustrations within the legal, business, and engineering communities and specialize in patent illustration. At LegalCAD, we pride ourselves on our ability to manage the special concerns that occur within law firms. As such, during this difficult time, we are offering our services at half price to those law firms displaced by the flooding. We understand that you may no longer have access to your regular illustrator and we hope that our assistance can help in normalizing your situation.
LegalCAD’s corporate offices are located in Lansing, Michigan. However, we represent clients from all over the US and are proficient in transacting business via the telephone, email, and the Internet. Therefore, we can manage your drawing needs and requirements from wherever you may have to set up office. You may reach us at: Tele - (517) 485-0822 or 1-8776-PATENT.
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Assistance with Foreign Filing
- We are a firm of European Patent Attorneys and would like to extend a free service to your members affected by Hurricane Katrina of obtaining status and deadline information for European Patent Office and UK Patent Office cases.
Also, we would be happy to waive our service fee for filing any necessary applications for restoration of any lapsed or interupted cases as a result of the disaster. In this regard we understand the European Patent Office will shortly issue a notice setting out the position relating to applicants and their US representatives which are based in the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina.
Rule 85(5) of the European Patent Convention relates to interuprion and states that evidence may be offered that on any of the ten days preceding the expiry of a deadline, the mail service in the locality of the party or its representative was interrupted due to war, revolution, civil disorder, strike, natural calamity or other like reason. In such circumstances, late filed documents shall be deemed timely filed if mailed within five days of the resumption of the mail service.
We note the US Postal service maintains a regular update of areas where the postal service is disrupted at:
http://www.usps.com/communications/news/serviceupdates/091405zips.pdf
We shall provide any further information as soon as we receive it. In the meantime, if you have any queries relating to a specific case, please contact us at srab@withersrogers.com or correspond directly with your Withers & Rogers LLP contact.
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Free Services
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Little Rock, AR — Kevin M. Lemley with the Allen Law Firm has offered assistance, at no charge, in preparing briefs, filings, etc. for individuals displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Interested individuals should contact Mr. Lemley at ph: 501-374-7100 or fax: 501-374-1611.
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Arlington, VA — Litman Law, Arlington, Virginia, Our firm is actually willing to do more than offer space - we will do anything we possibly can. Besides space, we can provide services such as telephones, fax, or even hold an interview with an examiner as needed. Most likely any of this will be gratis unless it is burdensome on the staff (however, many have mentioned to me they would donate their time outside their daily work to help).
If a firm has staff they want to keep employed, we would be willing to consider hiring them until their present firm is back in operation. We could also probably help find short term housing. We have many projects that have a couple month duration that could use extra staffing. Feel free to email Richard Litman at litman@4patent.com with any request. We want to help all who need it.
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Other Ways to Help
Here is a partial list of national charitable organizations accepting donations for victims of Hurricane Katrina:
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