We are proud to announce that five Lerner David partners were recognized in The Best Lawyers in America© 2020, and that Stephen F. Roth was also named 2020 Litigation-Intellectual Property "Lawyer of the Year" in New Jersey.
Lawyers are selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America based on a peer review process designed to capture the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues. For the 2020 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America, only approximately 5% of lawyers in private practice in the United States were awarded this honor.
"Lawyer of the Year" honorees receive this award based on extremely high overall feedback within specific practice areas and metropolitan regions. “Lawyer of the Year” recognitions were awarded in 137 practice areas across 182 metropolitan regions.
Our recognized partners include:
Stephen F. Roth
Intellectual Property “Lawyer of the Year” Best Lawyers 2020
(also won in 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2018)
The Best Lawyers in America
Trademark Law, Litigation (Intellectual Property and Patent)
Stephen specializes in intellectual property litigation and has been practicing in that area for almost 25 years. Stephen's approach to litigation centers on keeping the client out of court, and he defines a win by preventing or ending the litigation, not by starting or prolonging it. Stephen’s legal work does not end when he leaves his desk. He is actively involved in training the firm's litigation associates, and sits on the Board of the John C. Lifland American Inn of Court, one of the first Inns of Court in the country specializing in intellectual property law. Stephen also volunteers with various artist’s rights groups, and has given his time to assist upcoming artists from having their work infringed. Also named "Lawyer of the Year" in New Jersey for, Litigation-Intellectual Property, 2020.
Keith E. Gilman
The Best Lawyers in America
Patent Law
Keith E. Gilman is managing partner in the firm, and involved in all facets of the IP practice. He counsels clients on maximizing the value of their IP assets and advises clients on the IP risks associated with new product designs and acquisitions with an emphasis in mechanical devices. Tapping his extensive background in litigation, licensing and due diligence, Keith emphasizes the importance of building strategies to protect clients' innovations and trademarks, while minimizing the risk of litigation by competitors. He recognizes that efforts to manage risk can be used as opportunities to establish IP assets that create advantages in the marketplace. Keith was an original Master of the John J. Gibbons Inn of Court, the first IP Inn of Court of its kind in New Jersey. Since 1999, he has co-authored the section on Intellectual Property in New Jersey Federal Civil Practice.
Charles P. Kennedy
The Best Lawyers in America
Trademark Law, Litigation (Patent and Trademark)
Chuck Kennedy has demonstrated a talent in litigating intellectual property cases by translating highly complex technologies and factual scenarios into understandable themes. By a focused game plan from the start, he effectively advocates the client's case before both judges and juries. While handling an active litigation calendar, Chuck has always found time to counsel clients from start up companies to large established corporation on trademark matters. His experience from litigating trademark cases allows him to guide clients to optimize the value of their trademarks. Since 1999, he has co-authored the section on Intellectual Property in New Jersey Federal Civil Practice.
Arnold H. Krumholz
The Best Lawyers in America
Copyright Law, Litigation (Intellectual Property and Patent)
Arnie’s breadth of experience leaves him uniquely positioned to help the firm’s clients obtain not only the results they desire, but to also identify and achieve results that they may not have known were possible. Throughout his career, Arnie has been involved in inter partes proceedings in the U.S. Patent Office, including interferences and reexaminations from the start of his career and more recently inter partes reviews (IPRs). As a result, he has extensive hands-on experience with the arcane technical aspects of rules and procedures involving these proceedings in various technologies. Moreover, his breadth of experience has permitted him to understand businesses in diverse fields, and to grasp the most important elements of those businesses in order to help propel his clients into far better competitive positions.
William L. Mentlik
The Best Lawyers in America
Litigation (Intellectual Property and Patent)
Bill has a long track record of successfully handling appeals in patent cases. He combines a thorough knowledge of the case record with a proven penchant for thinking on his feet. Early in his career, Bill successfully argued an appeal on behalf of laser pioneer Gordon Gould. Bill’s appellate skills come into play in prosecuting and defending inter partes reviews (IPRs). These proceedings place a premium on the synergistic talents of a knowledgeable litigator and a seasoned Patent Office practitioner, requiring both skill in the procedural forum and the technical depth to respond to the judges’ questions. Additionally, his deal-making skills have made him a sought after mediator and arbitrator across the gamut of IP matters.
*Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers® has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation. Almost 94,000 industry leading lawyers are eligible to vote (from around the world), and we have received over 11 million evaluations on the legal abilities of other lawyers based on their specific practice areas around the world. For the 2020 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America©, 8.3 million votes were analyzed, which resulted in more than 62,000 leading lawyers being included in the new edition. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor. Corporate Counsel magazine has called Best Lawyers "the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice."