February 4, 2002

THE CALIFORNIA LAW BUSINESS JOURNAL

SAN DIEGO – Luce Forward: RAINMAKING ATTORNEY SWAPS SAN DIEGO SHOPS

The Silicon Valley of San Diego got a new addition this month when intellectual property attorney Mitchell Brook joined Luce Forward Hamilton & Scripps’s Carmel Valley office.

Brook started at Luce Forward as a partner on Jan. 20, bringing along a substantial practice. Although Brook declined to comment on the matter, he reportedly has a book of business close to $3 million. He anticipates that a number of his clients will follow him to Luce.

Brook, 43, came from the downtown San Diego office of Baker & McKenzie, where he had worked since 1996. Before his departure, he served as chair of the intellectual property practice group for Baker’s San Diego office.

Brook’s practice focuses primarily on prosecution and litigation relating to patents and trademarks. His clients run the gamut from big established companies to high-tech startups.

“I am thrilled to have Mitchell Brook join and bring his expertise in patent and intellectual property law to our firm. His addition is consistent with our strategic plan and greatly enhances our intellectual property capabilities,” says Luce Forward managing partner Robert Buell.

Brook says he was drawn to Luce Forward because, among other reasons, it has greater depth in areas such as securities, litigation and corporate restructuring than Baker does.

“This is a strategic move to bolster their IP practice,” says Watanabe Nason & Seltzer’s Lawrence Watanabe, who brokered the deal.

Peter Martinez, who has been working as an intellectual property associate at Baker’s San Diego office, is scheduled to join Brook at Luce Forward in North San Diego in mid-February.

Ali Mojdehi, managing partner of Baker’s San Diego outpost, says that the firm hopes that Brook flourishes in his new legal environment.

Baker & McKenzie, based in Chicago, has more than 3,000 attorneys and 60 offices worldwide.

Luce Forward, with 200 attorneys, has five offices in California and one in New York.