Brownstein Adds Additional Intellectual Property Talent

Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck is pleased to announce that an additional group of intellectual property attorneys from Crowell & Moring has joined the firm. Shannon Lentz and Debbie Yellin join as shareholders and will be based out of the firm’s Washington, D.C., office. James Reed joins as of counsel and will be based out of the firm’s recently announced New York office. Additionally, April Barnard joins the Washington, D.C., office as an associate.

In July, Brownstein welcomed nine professionals from Crowell & Moring, including IP shareholders Anne Elise Herold Li and Paul Keller, as well as government relations professionals Jim Flood, Aaron Cummings, Evan Chuck, Scott Douglas, Tracy Tolk, Tim Shadyac and Stephen Holland.

“The expansion of our Intellectual Property Department with Shannon, Debbie, James, and April—alongside recent additions Anne and Paul—marks a strategic enhancement of our patent prosecution, portfolio management and IP litigation practices, positioning us to deliver even greater value to our clients,” said Craig Hemenway, cochair of Brownstein’s Intellectual Property Department.

Lentz is a versatile litigator and advisor trusted by clients as a strategic partner in navigating complex IP and patent issues. She crafts creative solutions in patent challenges or filings that minimize risk factors while optimizing returns on investments in clients’ IP portfolios. She has experience challenging and defending patents through post-grant review at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and in federal district court. Lentz also helps clients protect their inventions through a global patent procurement strategy. Clients rely on her strategic skills to take risks, furthering their business objectives while avoiding pitfalls that could lead to legal challenges. Lentz’s practice has primarily focused in the pharmaceutical space, with a particular focus on biologics. Along with her pharmaceutical industry focus, her work has included molecular biology, chemistry, genetics, medical devices and nanomaterials, among others.

Yellin is a seasoned intellectual property attorney with a focus on patent strategy, litigation and portfolio management. She works closely with clients—from startups to global companies—to protect and grow their innovations, especially in the pharmaceutical and chemical spaces. She counsels clients on managing their IP portfolios as well as protection and procurement programs, with experience in both domestic and foreign patent filings. She brings a sharp strategic edge, particularly in high-stakes post-grant proceedings. With her deep technical background, Yellin connects easily with inventors and research teams, providing global patent portfolio oversight. Her work spans from pharmaceuticals and drug delivery systems to materials, food products, nanomaterials and plant biotechnology.

Reed leverages his background in physics and structural engineering, focusing his practice on patent and trade secret litigation in the heavy industry, consumer technology and transportation industries. He brings a unique ability to quickly understand and dissect both complex technologies and the onerous legal issues that come with intellectual property litigation, evident in his experience prosecuting automotive and electromechanical patents. Before he became a lawyer, Reed worked as a structural project engineer for a Maryland-based firm, where he led the design and implementation of temporary vehicle bridges for both public and private entities. He also contributed to the design and construction of industrial power facilities, giving him firsthand insight into the kinds of technologies and infrastructure at the center of intellectual property disputes.

Barnard brings a rich and diverse background in biomedical science and biotechnology to her role. She focuses on patent prosecution, patent litigation and client counseling in the life sciences sector. With more than a decade of experience in the surgical field, Barnard has developed deep expertise in cardiovascular physiology. Her graduate studies in microbiology and immunology with a focus in virology lend expertise to such areas as vaccine development, pharmaceuticals and genetic engineering. She combines the communication skills obtained from teaching with her vast knowledge of biological and chemical sciences to distill complicated subjects into easily digestible concepts that clients can readily understand.