Sidley Austin to Add Intellectual Property Partner

San Francisco — Sidley Austin LLP announced today that Michael J. Bettinger will join the firm as a partner in San Francisco. He will be a member of the firm’s Intellectual Property Litigation practice.

Mr. Bettinger is a leading trial lawyer for patent cases in U.S. District Courts and the International Trade Commission. Mr. Bettinger, who has tried 21 cases to verdict, has litigated cases for high-tech clients in the computer, telecommunications, semiconductor, networking and healthcare industries.

“Mike’s winning record in patent litigation will make him a great asset and valued member of our existing team of talented lawyers focused on intellectual property litigation,” said Patricia Thayer, leader of the firm’s Intellectual Property Litigation practice on the West Coast. “He has a well-earned reputation, both nationally and in the Bay Area, for his courtroom skills, and he understands the challenges facing innovation-driven companies. We look forward to his many contributions.”

Mr. Bettinger has been recognized by the Daily Journal as a “Top Intellectual Property Attorney in California” from 2009 to 2014. He also has been ranked by Chambers USA 2014 for Intellectual Property: Patent in California and selected as a “Top 50 Litigators” and a “California’s Top 100 Lawyers” by the Daily Journal. He previously served as a law clerk to the Hon. John L. Coffey of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit from 1983 to 1985.

“Mike is a highly regarded lawyer who is well-versed in assisting high-growth businesses to defend their products and protect their intellectual property,” said Sharon Flanagan, member of Sidley’s Executive Committee and managing partner of the San Francisco office. “His experience with technology companies in particular complements our broad array of capabilities across Northern California. We are excited to welcome him to our team.”

With 1,900 lawyers in 18 offices worldwide, Sidley has built a reputation as a premier legal adviser for global businesses and financial institutions. For the fifth consecutive year, and every year since the survey’s inception, Sidley received the most first-tier national rankings in the 2015 U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” survey. On Law360’s list of Global 20 Firms, Sidley was ranked among the top law firms “with the greatest global reach and expertise.” To stay up-to-date with the latest Sidley news, please follow us on Twitter at@SidleyNewsroom or download the Sidley Mobile App.