Intellectual Property Partner Blaine Templeman Joins Sheppard Mullin New York

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - August 18, 2008) - Blaine Templeman has joined the New York office of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP as a partner in the firm's Intellectual Property practice group. He will head Sheppard Mullin's new Biotech Clinical Contracting team. Templeman was most recently a partner in the New York office of Heller Ehrman.

Templeman focuses on U.S. and cross-border intellectual property transactions, drug manufacturing, and clinical trials outsourcing and contracting. He completed one of the largest mergers in U.S. biotech history, and is one of only seven attorneys in the New York area who has been named as a Best Lawyer in America for Biotechnology Law.

"Blaine adds significantly to our expertise in life sciences, an area of strategic expansion in both transactional and litigation areas. His biotech specialization is complementary to our existing strength in patent litigation and prosecution, food and drug regulation, and healthcare M&A. We continue to grow signature groups like Life Sciences and IP, and Blaine's industry knowledge and experience is of great value to clients," said Guy Halgren, chairman of the firm.

IP partners Steve Hanle and Jennifer Trusso, who specialize in pharmaceutical and medical device patent litigation, joined Sheppard Mullin's Orange County office in July. Corporate partner Eric Klein, whose focus is healthcare and life sciences M&A, joined the firm's Century City office in April. Also in April, IP partner Karen Canaan brought her biotech patent expertise to Sheppard Mullin's Silicon Valley office.

Commented Templeman, "With a strong international IP practice group and growing Life Sciences capabilities, Sheppard Mullin offers a excellent platform for my practice. I am excited to grow these areas even further and look forward to rejoining some former colleagues and friends."

Templeman's transactional expertise includes asset deals, collaborations, licensing transactions, distribution arrangements and co-promotions. He assists clients in a variety of life sciences areas, including medical devices, vaccines, antibiotics, diabetes, oncology, and sexual dysfunction. Recent representative matters include: assisting a French client in out-licensing for North America a beta lactumase inhibitor to a U.S. pharma company, helping a U.S. client purchase the U.S. rights to an oncology treatment, setting up worldwide distribution arrangements including in the U.S., EU, Korea, and Russia, assisting a prominent Indian client with investments and collaborations with U.S. companies, negotiating dispute resolution when clinical trials are not being executed efficiently, and negotiating manufacturing arrangements for API, finished product and delivery systems.

As head of the firm's new Biotech Clinical Contracting Team, Templeman will service clients' needs with respect to clinical trials agreements, CRO agreements, master service agreements, laboratory agreements, manufacturing agreements (including development, API and finished product agreements), and research arrangements. He has worked closely with several of his clients to complete transactions in the U.S., the EU, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, India, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and many other countries.

Templeman received a J.D. from New York University School of Law in 1994 and a B.A., summa cum laude, from Oral Roberts University in 1988.

Sheppard Mullin has more than 40 attorneys based in its New York office. The firm's Intellectual Property practice group includes 60 attorneys firmwide.

About Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

Sheppard Mullin is a full service AmLaw 100 firm with more than 520 attorneys in 11 offices located throughout California and in New York, Washington, D.C. and Shanghai. The firm's California offices are located in Los Angeles, Century City, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Orange County, Santa Barbara, San Diego and Del Mar Heights. Founded in 1927 on the principle that the firm would succeed only if its attorneys delivered prompt, high quality and cost-effective legal services, Sheppard Mullin provides legal counsel to U.S. and international clients. Companies turn to Sheppard Mullin to handle a full range of corporate and technology matters, high stakes litigation and complex financial transactions. In the U.S., the firm's clients include more than half of the Fortune 100 companies. For more information, please visit www.sheppardmullin.com.

Contact Information: CONTACT: Blaine Templeman (212) 332-3854 Ralph Richardson (213) 617-5542