McCarter & English today announced the expansion of its Intellectual Property practice with the addition of two partners James M. Smedley, in the Philadelphia office, and Alex Korona in the Newark office, both join the firm from Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP.
Former head of Ellenoff Grossman & Schole’s Intellectual Property and Technology law group, Smedley acts as an outside general counsel, business advisor, and strategist for numerous early-stage ventures. His focus is on protecting and enforcing intellectual property rights, domestically and internationally. While he has a deep background in computer related technologies, including both software and hardware, he also serves clients in a broad range of industries including consumer products, biotech, life sciences, and real estate. Smedley is an ardent video gamer, representing esports players, organizations, and teams in management, contracting, and branding matters with his first-hand knowledge of the issues involved in the gaming industry. He advises entities of all sizes and at all growth stages, from startups to Fortune 100 companies, across the intellectual property lifecycle. He earned his JD from Boston University Law School and has a dual undergraduate degree in computer science and English from Rutgers University. He is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark office and is also a registered Canadian Patent Agent.
“James acts as a trusted advisor by providing high-end strategy and counseling to his emerging company clients,” said Jonathan Sparks, PhD, Chair of the IP practice. “He’s been working in the areas of artificial intelligence, blockchain, digital assets, and NFTs long before they disrupted the technology landscape. We’re looking forward to him bringing his talent and experience to McCarter’s clients.”
“Intellectual property is a core practice at McCarter with more than 100 IP professionals across the firm’s platform,” said Smedley. “The group is large enough that we can staff almost any engagement. It is an ideal platform for the work I see ahead, including the opportunities and challenges brought on by AI and other transformative technologies.”
A well-rounded IP practitioner, Korona’s work focuses IP protection, prosecution, and enforcement of patents and trademarks. He works in the medical device, chemical, biological and related fields, as well as in the consumer goods and business methods areas. In addition, he handles transactional corporate and IP engagements, including due diligence, licensing, non-disclosure, and contract provisions. Korona is a graduate of Seton Hall University School of Law, holds a BS in Biology from the University of Pittsburgh, and is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark office. Smedley and Korona have been working together for a decade. In addition to Smedley and Korona, McCarter’s Intellectual Property practice has added partners Michael A. Sartori, PhD, in Washington, D.C., and Dave Christensen, in Hartford since the beginning of the year.