Fish & Richardson Principal Angela Follett, Ph.D., Named 2019 Up & Coming Attorney by Minnesota Lawyer; Jill Wright and Ashley Lind Named Unsung Legal Heroes

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Sep 18, 2019, 13:42 ET

MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Fish & Richardson principal Angela D. Follett, Ph.D., has been named a 2019 "Up & Coming Attorney" by Minnesota Lawyer, which honors young attorneys who have distinguished themselves through professional accomplishment and community leadership. Jill Wright, patent paralegal, and Ashley Lind, senior patent assistant, have been named 2019 "Unsung Legal Heroes," which recognizes the most talented and dedicated legal support professionals in Minnesota.

Follett's national practice focuses on patent prosecution, portfolio development advice and strategic patent counseling. Her work includes due diligence, freedom-to-operate and patentability analyses, life cycle management strategies, and patent opinions. She represents clients around the world – from startups and emerging companies to academic and research institutions – in the life sciences, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Follett played a pivotal role in the worldwide patent strategy for Loxo Oncology, which contributed to its $1.5 billion deal with Bayer in 2017 and its acquisition in January 2019 by Eli Lilly for $8 billion. Follett has also helped build the IP portfolio for Samumed – a company with a valuation of $12 billion that is focused on reversing aging – which Forbes called "the most valuable biotechnology startup on the planet." She received her J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of St. Thomas School of Law in 2011 (while working as a technology specialist at the firm), her Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Minnesota in 2006, and her B.A., magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, in chemistry and biochemistry from Gustavus Adolphus College in 2001.

Wright is a patent paralegal who oversees some of the firm's largest and most important startup biopharma and biotech clients. In her role, Wright juggles intensive day-to-day prosecution docket requirements – routinely handling patent filings in over 60 jurisdictions – while managing deal diligence for Fish's high-profile clients. Over the past six years, she has been involved in the diligence related to the sale of biotech patent portfolios worth more than $20 billion in deal value. Wright is a critical linchpin in ensuring that Fish provides the best client service for this important sector. She received her paralegal certificate from the Minnesota School of Business in 2000.

Lind is a senior patent assistant in Fish's patent group. She coordinates travel, manages the calendars of over a dozen team members, handles billing and expenses, drafts waivers and engagement letters, assists with the transfer of cases, manages dockets, and upholds the firm's well established reputation of providing exceptional client service. Since joining the firm, Lind has established herself as a core resource for the team and other patent assistants across the firm. Her vast knowledge of every function of the patent group, from docketing to billing to computer systems, routinely serves to expedite crucial patent group operations. In the last three years, Lind has worked on over $10 billion in client portfolio deal work under time, confidentiality, and deal-specific constraints.

Fish & Richardson, a premier global intellectual property law firm, is sought-after and trusted by the world's most innovative brands and influential technology leaders. Fish offers patent prosecution, counseling and litigation and trademark and copyright prosecution, counseling and litigation. Our deep bench of attorneys with first-chair trial experience in every technology makes us the go-to firm for the most technically complex cases. We have an established reputation as a top-tier firm for patent portfolio planning, strategy and prosecution, as well as post-grant proceedings at the PTAB. Fish was established in 1878, and now has more than 400 attorneys and technology specialists in the U.S., Europe and China. Our success is rooted in our creative and inclusive culture, which values the diversity of people, experiences and perspectives. For more information, visit fr.com or follow us at @FishRichardson.