Ulmer & Berne LLP, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2008, announced today the election of seven attorneys to the partnership. Attorneys include John M. Alten, Christopher D. Cathey, Paul J. Cosgrove, Rebecca B. Jacobs, Eric M. Robbins, Richik Sarkar and Wayne M. Serra. Detailed information on the attorneys is below.

John M. Alten of the Firm’s Cleveland office focuses his practice on complex business litigation, product liability and financial services litigation. Mr. Alten represents public and private companies and individuals in all aspects of business litigation, including disputes related to contracts, licensing, securities, product liability, construction, insurance, consumer law and corporate control. He is well-versed in all forms of alternative dispute resolution.

Christopher D. Cathey of the Firm’s Cincinnati office focuses his practice on civil litigation with an emphasis on commercial, financial services, employment, creditors’ rights, and personal injury litigation. His experience includes successfully defending financial institutions and other business entities on contractual, commercial and consumer finance disputes. Mr. Cathey handles a broad range of employment litigation including non-competition, trade secret and defense of employee wrongful termination claims. He also represents individuals and self-insured corporations in tort and insurance claims involving wrongful death, catastrophic injuries and toxic torts. Mr. Cathey was recognized as an “Ohio Super Lawyer Rising Star” by Law & Politics and Cincinnati magazines (2006-2007).

Paul J. (P.J.) Cosgrove of the Firm’s Cincinnati office represents medical device, pharmaceutical, and other manufacturers in product liability claims on a local, regional and national level. Mr. Cosgrove has represented manufacturers in defense of claims involving products such as latex gloves, infusion sets, catheters and prosthetic devices. He also represents companies in defense of claims involving dietary supplements, antidepressants, diabetes drugs, and a variety of cardiac drugs in response to government investigations. He handles all phases of the defense of complex cases, including presuit risk management and counseling, fact and expert depositions, electronic discovery, dispositive motion practice, Daubert challenges, mediation, trial and appeal. Outside the context of life sciences product liability litigation, Mr. Cosgrove represents companies in defense of catastrophic loss claims involving a variety of products including pipelines, fireplaces, cranes and airplanes, and also is involved in commercial litigation. He was recognized as an “Ohio Super Lawyer Rising Star” by Law & Politics and Cincinnati magazines (2007).

Rebecca B. Jacobs of the Firm’s Columbus office is a certified specialist in employment and labor law. She represents businesses on employment-related matters, including wrongful discharge, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, employee leave, and wage and hour issues. She routinely counsels clients on issues relating to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and other federal and state statutes. She has created and performed training sessions on topics such as sexual harassment, pregnancy discrimination, and employee leave laws. Ms. Jacobs assists clients in developing employee policies and independent contractor agreements. Ms. Jacobs also handles ERISA litigation and represents financial institutions on issues including business litigation. She was named an “Ohio Super Lawyer Rising Star” by Law & Politics and Cincinnati magazines (2006-2007).

Eric M. Robbins of the Firm’s Cincinnati office focuses his practice on intellectual property. He counsels individual and corporate clients as to securement, ownership, licensing, avoidance of infringement, dispute resolution, and enforcement of patents, trademarks and copyrights. He also prepares and facilitates ongoing prosecution of patent applications at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in the electrical, mechanical, and computer science arts. Mr. Robbins’ patent litigation experience includes Federal Court and International Trade Commission cases. He has previously been named an “Ohio Super Lawyer Rising Star” by Law & Politics and Cincinnati magazines.

Richik Sarkar of the Firm’s Cleveland office focuses his practice on business litigation, complex litigation and public law with expertise in business torts, contracts, corporate governance, securities and finance, real estate, real property taxation and education law. He represents financial institutions, school districts and various public and private corporations. Mr. Sarkar also works on alternative dispute resolution in the areas of commercial, product liability and public law. He is extremely active with Banking Law, Uniform Commercial Code, and Consumer Financial Services committees of the ABA Business Law Section and is on the Executive Board for the Business Law Section’s Young Lawyer Forum. Mr. Sarkar was recognized as an “Ohio Super Lawyer Rising Star” by Law & Politics and Cincinnati magazines (2005-2007).

Wayne M. Serra of the Firm’s Cleveland office practices in the areas of intellectual property creation and enforcement, with emphasis on software and computing device patents. Along with having represented two of the top United States patent filers, Mr. Serra has also counseled mid-sized and emerging companies on a wide variety of IP matters, including strategic portfolio advice, enforcement of intellectual property rights, and the evaluation, management, and monetization of patent portfolios. Mr. Serra previously served as Senior Intellectual Property Counsel for a medical imaging system manufacturer that is one of the top 200 companies in the Fortune Global 500. His experience also includes a substantial amount of patent litigation, licensing, and due diligence for technology transactions.

Ulmer & Berne LLP, established in 1908, is one of Ohio’s largest law firms. In 2007, the Firm was recognized in The BTI Consulting Group’s survey of corporate counsel as one of only 85 firms nationally that “delivers the best value for the dollar.” Also, in a survey of Fortune 500 companies by Corporate Counsel magazine, Ulmer & Berne has been chosen as a Go-To Law Firm® for both 2007 and 2008. Less than one-half of one percent of all the law firms in the US and abroad received this distinction.

A full-service Firm with 180 attorneys in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Chicago, Ulmer & Berne represents publicly traded and privately held companies, financial institutions, pharmaceutical companies, family businesses, international joint ventures and affiliations, investor groups, start-ups and emerging businesses, public bodies and nonprofit organizations. For more information, visit www.ulmer.com.