Foley Adds Former Under Secretary of Commerce for IP Deputy Chief of Staff

Foley announced today that Toni Y. Hickey, most recently the Deputy Chief of Staff for the Office of the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), has joined the firm as Senior Counsel in the Washington, D.C. office. Hickey will be a member of the Intellectual Property Department in the Trademark, Copyright and Advertising Practice in addition to serving as a resource for the firm’s China and Latin America Practices.

In her role as Deputy Chief of Staff, Hickey served as a senior advisor on executive policy, legislative and USPTO operational issues, including leading the team responsible for the congressionally mandated Trademark Litigation Tactics Report. She also served as a liaison between the Office of the Under Secretary and senior executives throughout the Agency to assist in the development and implementation of the 2010-2015 USPTO Strategic Plan.

Hickey joins the firm following the recent return of former Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Deputy Director of the USPTO Sharon R. Barner to Foley’s Intellectual Property Department in its Chicago office. Hickey’s trademark and unfair competition experience in the international arena complements Barner’s patent policy expertise.

“Toni, combined with the return of Sharon Barner to our Chicago office earlier this year, further strengthens the already extensive experience and knowledge Foley possesses in complex matters before the USPTO and in developing global anti-counterfeit strategies,” said Stephen B. Maebius, chair of Foley’s Intellectual Property Department. “Toni’s level of experience working with trademark litigation adds considerable depth to our existing team of high-caliber IP attorneys.”

During her time at the USPTO, Hickey also served as an Intellectual Property Attaché in Mexico City where she advised U.S. executive level government embassy officials and U.S. companies doing business in Mexico on intellectual property protection and criminal, civil and administrative enforcement matters in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.

Prior to serving as Deputy Chief of Staff, Hickey was an attorney in the USPTO’s Office of Intellectual Property Policy and Enforcement where she assisted in formulating U.S. domestic and international policy regarding protection and enforcement of intellectual property, particularly in the areas of well-known marks, geographical indications, industrial designs and domain names. Hickey joined the Federal Service in 1999 as a trademark examining attorney reviewing trademark applications, including applications filed pursuant to the Madrid Protocol. In this capacity, she specialized in the examination of non-traditional marks, specifically color trademarks and filed and argued many briefs before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB).

“The depth and breadth of Toni’s experience makes her a tremendous resource to our clients,” said Scott L. Fredericksen, managing partner of the firm’s Washington, D.C. office. “We are pleased to welcome her to the firm.”

Comprised of more than 200 attorneys, Foley’s Intellectual Property practice is a recognized leader in IP legal services. For the ninth consecutive year, Foley was ranked by IP Today as one of the top 15 firms for the number of patents issued. Foley also ranked in the top five on Corporate Counsel magazine’s list of “Who Represents America’s Biggest Companies?” and is recognized as the top firm in IP for the Fortune Global 100.

With nearly 1,000 attorneys in 21 offices, Foley & Lardner LLP provides award-winning business and legal insight to clients across the country and around the world. Our team-based approach, innovative technology, and focus on value and client service are continually recognized by our clients and the legal industry. In a recent survey* of Fortune 1000 corporate counsel, Foley received a top 10 ranking out of more than 500 firms for our strong client focus, breadth of service, innovation, and value for the dollar. In addition, Foley was a Top 10 firm on the U.S. News – Best Lawyers® 2010 “Best Law Firms” list, based on the total number of first-tier metropolitan rankings, and CIO magazine recognized Foley for technological innovation that enhances business value by naming the firm to its prestigious CIO-100 list.

*The BTI Consulting Group (Wellesley, Massachusetts)