January 11, 2000
THE DAILY JOURNAL
By Tamara Scott
ORANGE COUNTY – Los Angeles-based Irell & Manella has nabbed three intellectual property attorneys for its Newport Beach office from the Costa Mesa office of Blakely Sokoloff Taylor & Zafman.
Ben J. Yorks, who specializes in patent and trademark prosecution, joins Irell Manella as a partner. Kimberley G. Nobles, who was a partner at Blakely Sokoloff, will become of counsel and Babak Redjaian joins as an associate.
“We’re looking forward with great anticipation to working with these three new lawyers,” Jonathan H. Steinberg, co-chair of the firm’s intellectual property group, said. “We know they will provide us with a deeper IP practice in Newport Beach and strengthen our pre-eminent IP position.”
Yorks, whose clients include Samsung and Intel, reportedly has a book of business of about $1 million. Legal recruiter Bill Nason of Southern California-based Watanabe & Nason brokered his move.
Irell Manella’s high-tech, multimedia and intellectual property group now has 57 attorneys firmwide: 20 partners, four of counsel and 33 associates. Sixteen of those may practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, including Yorks. Blakely Sokoloff’s managing partner, Roger W. Blakely, could not be reached for comment.