Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that partners Henry B. Ward III and Samantha “Sam” Skains-Menchaca have joined the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice Group in Charlotte, along with associate Sarah Beth Cain. All most recently practiced at Moore & Van Allen, where Mr. Ward served as co-head of its trademark practice.
“We are thrilled to welcome Henry, Sam, and Sarah Beth, all respected IP attorneys whose broad experience adds depth and strength to our IP services in Charlotte and across the firm,” said Bradley Charlotte Office Managing Partner Robert R. Marcus. “Their work with clients across the United States and in Europe, Asia, Australia/New Zealand, South America, Africa, and the Middle East provides us with greater capabilities and offers our clients expanded access to global IP markets. The addition of their team is consistent with our focus on growing our Charlotte office in several strategic areas that include IP, financial services, and corporate finance.”
In addition to the team in Charlotte, Bradley has added seven intellectual property attorneys across its footprint since March 2023.
Mr. Ward counsels clients on patent, trademark, copyright, advertising regulations and litigation matters in a variety of industries that include telecommunications, computer software and hardware, financial and insurance, medical services and devices and more. He also has extensive experience with technology and commercial agreements. He earned his J.D. from Emory University and a B.S. (with honors) in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology.
Ms. Skains-Menchaca manages trademark and copyright portfolios of all sizes and aspects, from clearance searching and filing to policing and enforcing, both domestically and abroad. She focuses on achieving the highest quality protection and value at enhanced efficiency and reduced cost. Ms. Skains-Menchaca uses her Spanish and international travel to connect and grow an extensive network of foreign counsel for global trademark and copyright protection and enforcement. Her experience includes UDRP and TTAB proceedings and negotiations, as well as advising on and assisting with investigating, purchasing and licensing IP, business formation and due diligence. She received her J.D. from Tulane University and her B.S. (cum laude) from Vanderbilt University.
Ms. Cain’s practice involves intellectual property disputes, patent and trademark prosecution, and transactional matters. With an educational background in chemical engineering, she assists clients in a wide range of industries, focusing on enforcing, protecting, and defending IP rights. Ms. Cain has a J.D. from the University of Tennessee College of Law, an M.S. and B.A. in Chemical Engineering from Tennessee Tech University, and a B.A. in Spanish from the University of Tennessee.
Bradley’s Intellectual Property Practice Group maintains a strong national IP practice with a diverse client base that includes mid-sized businesses, multinational corporations and Fortune 500 companies, as well as startups and technology incubators. The firm offers a full range of IP services to successfully protect and defend the valuable IP rights of its clients. In addition, the firm launched a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) team in September 2023, which includes almost 50 cross-disciplinary attorneys focused on the impact of AI. Bradley’s IP IQ blog covers news and insights about patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret, antitrust and technology laws, as well as AI developments, impacting the business community.
About Bradley
For more than 150 years, Bradley has combined skilled legal counsel with exceptional client service and unwavering integrity to assist a diverse range of corporate and individual clients in achieving their business goals. With 13 offices in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and the District of Columbia, the firm’s more than 650 lawyers represent regional, national and international clients in various industries, including banking and financial services, construction, energy, healthcare, life sciences, manufacturing, real estate, and technology, among many others.
