Company Profile
Townsend and Townsend and Crew LLP
Company Overview
Established in 1860, Townsend and Townsend and Crew LLP is a full-service intellectual property firm with over 170 attorneys. Practicing together from offices in technology centers throughout the West, Townsend's attorneys pool their expertise for effective representation. Townsend's goal is to help clients realize value through intellectual property.
Inventions, trademarks, works of authorship and trade secrets are among our clients' most important assets. At Townsend, we have assembled a team of attorneys who specialize in protecting your intellectual property. Most of our attorneys have technical degrees to complement their legal education, and many have advanced degrees and industry experience. We have the experience and expertise to respond to our clients' specific needs, and we dedicate our best resources and service toward meeting the goals and business objectives of every client.
Company History
TOWNSEND: LIVING HISTORY FOR ALMOST 150 YEARS
Many of the attributes that characterize Townsend and Townsend and Crew in the 21st Century can be traced back to the creative, imaginative and resourceful individuals that started the firm in the 19th Century. These ingenious, adventurous spirits were not only instrumental in establishing intellectual property rights for new scientific processes in important west-coast industries such as gold extraction, but were also inventors of new technology, such as photo-engraving.
It is a fascinating journey to trace Townsend's historical development, and the evolution of intellectual property law, starting with the first publication of the Mining and Scientific Press on May 24, 1860. Follow the heroic deeds of Charles Townsend, Sr., who single-handedly rescued client files during the 1906 earthquake fires, and moved them to safety atop Twin Peaks (while taking spectacular photos along the way). Townsend Sr., a true visionary, also provided pro bono legal services for his friend, John Muir, who founded the Sierra Club.
Townsend's son, Charles Townsend, Jr., was renowned as one of the prominent post-World War II pioneers in advocating and demanding jury trials in patent cases. Later on, Townsend filed perhaps the first lawsuit ever in the emerging field of biotechnology (BioRad v. Cetus). We also litigated the first case before the newly created Federal Circuit Court in 1982.
The legacy of Townsend and Townsend and Crew extends beyond the Cohen and Boyer patent displayed in the Smithsonian for recombinant DNA, or a Science magazine cover featuring our work in nanotechnology. It also includes the recent blockbuster litigation successes against Intel and Microsoft, and our consistent notoriety as a leading filer for Medical Device patents and Trademarks in the world. Discover for yourself how Townsend has been living history for almost 150 years.
Notable Accomplishments / Recognition
Townsend's reputation as a premier IP-specialty firm has been recognized by numerous awards from prominent legal and business publications. Listed below are some of the firm's top rankings in 2006.
Awards & Rankings 2006
Townsend was recognized by IP Law360, a Portfolio Media Inc. publication, as one of the top 10 patent litigation firms in the U.S.
Townsend was recognized by Chambers Global as one of the leading IP firms in the U.S. in the "2006 Client's Guide to the World's Leading Lawyers for Business."