Contacts
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Michael Calhoon
Partner
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Cailyn Reilly Knapp
Senior Associate
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Sterling Marchand
Partner
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA), is known as the “Rocket Docket” for the speed at which it resolves cases. Speed is baked into the court’s rules, deadlines, and procedures, and our NoVa practice group is well versed in managing EDVA’s expedited trial process. Our team is led by Cailyn Reilly Knapp, who clerked for the Hon. John F. Anderson and the Hon. Anthony J. Trenga. Cailyn's clerkships, coupled with our partners' direct trial experience in the court, means that our team has deep insight into the intricacies of the court.
The America Invents Act makes the EDVA a main trial court for challenging decisions of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Our IP Practice includes six former USPTO patent examiners and accomplished IP trial lawyers. Our IP attorneys are familiar with EDVA and the cases that are most likely the end up in district. Our IP group includes three lawyers who clerked at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and our attorneys have appeared in front of USPTO’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, literally hundreds of times.
In addition, our NoVa team regularly counsels dozens of clients—on the plaintiff side and the defense side—on issues ranging from boycotts to patent infringement to breach of contract and tort claims. We are experienced in the diverse industries that comprise Virginia’s economy, including energy, technology, telecommunications, aerospace, defense, and financial services.