Strategic Power Move: Merchant & Gould Lures Quintet of Highly-Experienced Attorneys to Supercharge DC Office and Accelerate Asia Expansion

Five new hires bring decades of experience, leadership and innovation

MINNEAPOLIS, April 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Merchant & Gould welcomes Daniel J. Pereira, Ph.D., John S. Kern, Eric W. Schweibenz, and Donald R. McPhail, as Partners and Alexander B. Englehart, as Of Counsel in its Washington D.C. Area office. The new additions will expand Merchant & Gould's capabilities in handling International Trade Commission (ITC) cases, complex IP litigation, post-grant proceedings, patent prosecution, and strategic IP portfolio management, as well as increase its presence in Japan, mainland China, Taiwan and Korea.

Merchant & Gould welcomes Alexander B. Englehart, John S. Kern, Donald R. McPhail, Daniel J. Pereira and Eric W. Schweibenz to its Washington D.C. firm.

"We are continually investing in serving our client base worldwide, and this group will deepen our bench nationally and increase our existing presence in Japan, mainland China, Taiwan and Korea," said Heather Kliebenstein, Managing Director and Partner at Merchant & Gould. "Each of these experienced attorneys brings the right cross-culture experience and technical background that we want at Merchant & Gould."

All five hires look forward to continuing their work in the D.C. area, serving clients worldwide. Merchant & Gould's long-standing reputation for stability, creative legal solutions, collaboration and technologically advanced systems attracted the latest hires. 

"Transitioning to Merchant & Gould was the right move for us and our clients. We are excited to join such a dynamic firm that has superior technical strength, advanced internal systems and processes, extensive trial experience, and breadth of knowledge in all areas of intellectual property," said Pereira. Dr. Pereira most recently served as the Managing Partner and previously led the Chemical Practice Group at Oblon. Mr. Kern and Mr. Schweibenz formerly led the Electrical/Mechanical and Litigation Practice Groups, respectively.

One of the oldest full-service intellectual property and trial law firms in America, Merchant & Gould evolves with technology, just like its client base. Through harnessing and pioneering advanced legal solutions, they have established themselves as an indispensable partner in delivering exceptional legal guidance and service to their clients.

"When we look to add new talent to our team at Merchant & Gould, we want to find people who have the right mindset — forward-thinking, collaborative and client-focused," Kliebenstein shared. "Each of these attorneys embodies those values and will carry our firm's legacy forward."

About Merchant & Gould:
Founded in Minneapolis in 1900, Merchant & Gould has grown to become one of the largest intellectual property law firms in the United States, representing the worldwide intellectual property interests of clients in diverse industries and technologies. The firm has focused exclusively on IP for more than 124 years. Learn more at merchantgould.com

Media Contact: Kelly Hinseth
612.351.8689
kelly@media-minefield.com