Camilla Williams advises clients in patent portfolio management and strategy, including procurement and reexamination, licensing, due diligence and related litigation. Specifically, she helps companies organize and manage their patent portfolios to most effectively gain market advantage over their competitors by defining the link between patent activity and commercial products or goals. She guides companies on how to ensure that key processes and personnel are in place so that employees ultimately responsible for linking patent expenditures with commercial successes can do so without undue investigation. She interacts with many business units within the company including sales and marketing, finance, legal, and research and development, so that each appreciates the needs and demands of the others from a patent perspective.
Ms. Williams has experience performing extensive due diligence for IP transactions, an area in which her knowledge in portfolio management and counseling is exploited to the benefit of her clients as they navigate various business ventures. Ms. Williams is often asked to conduct an informal patent audit seeking to review both the portfolio and its management on various levels to make sure the company decision makers are being effectively equipped to make big picture decisions without getting mired down in the patent minutia.
Ms. Williams represents international companies in the U.S., Mexico, the U.K. and Canada in diverse industries, including medical devices, paper and paperboard products, architectural products, artificial turf, pharmaceutical products, cable and wire, electrical cable and transformers, footwear, tools, and others. Her patent portfolio management includes advising clients in the areas of patent litigation, reexamination of issued patents, due diligence of third party patent portfolios and licensing. She has prepared and negotiated licensing agreements for various intellectual property assets and regularly advises clients on crafting comprehensive intellectual property strategies for protecting innovation and initiative in their respective markets.
Ms. Williams was named a 2008 Georgia "Rising Star" in Intellectual Property by SuperLawyers magazine. She speaks conversational French.
Professional & Community Activities
Georgia State University Law Review, Former Editorial Board Member
Georgia State University IP Advisory Board, Member
Atlanta Intellectual Property American Inn of Court, Barrister
IPO Committee, Patent Search, Member
State Bar of Georgia, Intellectual Property Section, Member
Georgia Association of Women Lawyers, Member
The Heiskell School Booster Club Board, Member
Buckhead Church, Member
RELAY Group for Encouraging Spiritual and Skill Development in Young Girls, Co-Founder and Leader
Industries
Manufacturing; Health & Life Sciences; Chemical; Consumer Products & Retail; Paper & Packaging
Experience
Trademark portfolio management assistance for AXIS Capital Holdings, Represents AXIS Capital Holdings, an international reinsurance services provider, in trademark clearance, protection, portfolio management, and enforcement matters.
Patent portfolio management services for Rock-Tenn Company, Provide comprehensive patent portfolio management services for Rock-Tenn Company. Although historically, the company's main focus has been on packaging, recently a significant emphasis has been placed on development and expanding market share for retail oriented consumer product displays in a separate division within the company. The firm has worked closely with the key technical and business personnel in the new division to form strategies that protect their innovations, control costs and achieve strategic corporate goals. Also, the firm has counseled the company relative to exploration into potential new areas for growth and provided guidance relative to protection of and clearance for crucial elements of new product lines.
Grandparent adoption, Represents caregivers seeking to adopt children. One of the firm's signature pro bono programs is the Grandparent Adoption Program. Dozens of lawyers have been trained to represent grandparents and other relative caregivers who step up to raise young children in their extended family when the children's parents are unable or unwilling to do so. Working in partnership with local legal aid programs, lawyers accept referrals of eligible families, and prepare and file the required documents to effect the adoption. Hundreds of children's lives have been stabilized as a result of the firm's involvement.
Patent protection advice to a British medical device manufacturer of drug delivery and blood sampling devices, Represented a British medical device manufacturer of drug delivery and blood sampling devices in patent procurement and counseling services. This client provides research, development, and manufacturing services to some of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. For over twenty years, the company has been a leader in the design and development of technology to effectively provide creative solutions for both injection devices and lancet products. The firm's work focuses not only on the protection of these innovative designs, but also on working closely with key research and business personnel to develop strategies for maximizing patent protection and achieving the companies corporate goals. The firm also counsels the company relative to overall approach to licensing this technology, taking an active role in negotiations with third-party purchasers and licensees, as well as analyzes and evaluates third-party intellectual property rights.
Patent and trademark portfolio management for Oldcastle Inc., Represented Oldcastle Inc. in comprehensive patent and trademark portfolio management, including counsel and administration relative to both litigation and non-contentious matters. Provided strategic counsel relative to patent portfolio management and equip key personnel to make calculated decisions relative to the pursuit and maintenance of patent protection. Worked closely with the technical and business personnel in various Oldcastle companies to form strategies to protect their innovations and achieve corporate goals.
Global License, Development and Commercialization agreement for Biotest AG, Served as lead counsel in representing Biotest AG (Biotest), a German publicly traded biotechnology company, in signing a global License, Development and Commercialization Agreement with Abbott Laboratories for the further development and commercialization of Biotest's BT-061, a novel anti-CD4 antibody for the treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and psoriasis. In connection with the deal, Biotest will receive an upfront payment of $85 million, and upon completion of certain milestones, additional payments totaling $395 million, plus royalties.
Patent and Trademark portfolio management for a leader in the synthetic turf industry, Manages the global patent and trademark portfolios of a leading company in the synthetic turf industry, which owns one of the most iconic brands in the industry. We provide strategic counseling about the protection of that brand, manage trademarkrelated disputes in multiple countries, and assist in clearing and securing registrations of new marks.
Patent and trademark services for Altama Delta Corporation, Represented Altama Delta Corporation, a military footwear manufacturer and distributor, in its patent and trademark matters, including clearance, protection, portfolio management, enforcement and customs recordation.
Patent and trademark assistance for Xignux, Represents Xignux, a Mexican industrial consortium, in an array of patent and trademark matters for its business divisions in the electrical, wire and cable, and food industries.
Patent prosecution and counseling for Lee Valley Tools Ltd., Counseled Lee Valley Tools Ltd. and Veritas Tools, a leading woodworking and gardening tool developer, manufacturer and retailer, for more than twenty years regarding intellectual property matters including patent applications, prosecution advocacy and patent litigation.
Prevention of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC), Provides legal services to several nonprofits seeking to end the commercial sexual exploitation of children.
*Experience gained by attorney prior to joining Kilpatrick Townsend
Publications
27 April 2010, "What's Inequitable?" En Banc Panel To Answer For Patent Prosecutors, Legal Alerts
07 April 2010, Proposed change would extend pendency of provisional applications to two years, Legal Alerts
05 April 2010, USPTO is listening and taking action: Proposed rule change would effectively provide for 24-month pendency of provisional applications, Legal Alerts
01 July 2008, Reducing Hours, Increasing Value
Source: Intellectual Property Today, Articles
News
21 June 2011, Kilpatrick Townsend Plays Role in Abbott and Biotest Global Agreement, News Releases