Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney Welcomes IP Attorney Erin Dunston to Alexandria Office

Alexandria, VA, October 1, 2009 — Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC announced today the addition of Erin M. Dunston to the firm's Intellectual Property Section. Dunston joins the firm as counsel in the Alexandria office. Prior to joining Buchanan, Dunston served as counsel in the Washington, D.C., office of Bingham McCutchen LLP and, before that, an associate at Burns, Doane, Swecker & Mathis LLC, a boutique intellectual property firm that was acquired by Buchanan in 2005.

Dunston's practice focuses on interferences, district court litigation, opinions and prosecution – primarily in the fields of biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices. Her litigation practice includes classic infringement and declaratory judgment cases, as well as Paragraph IV cases.

Todd R. Walters, executive shareholder of the firm and leader of its patent interferences practice, stated, "We are thrilled to have Erin back. As one of very few law firms in the U.S. with a practice group dedicated to the highly-specialized disciplines of patent interferences, reexaminations, and reissues, Erin's background uniquely meshes with our firm and our practice strengths."

About Dunston

In addition to her substantial prosecution docket and district court litigation, Dunston has assisted with more than 20 interferences before the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences and has assisted with several bench trials. She is knowledgeable on all phases of interference work, ranging from pre-request analyses to preparation for and participation at final hearings. Erin also has first-hand knowledge of civil actions pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 146 for parties not satisfied with the Board's determination.