Salt Lake City — Foley & Lardner LLP announced today that the firm has continued to grow its Salt Lake City office with the addition of R. Whitney “Whit” Johnson as a partner in its Electronics Practice Group. Johnson will bolster Foley’s growing team in Salt Lake City following the addition of the Business Litigation & Dispute Resolution Team in February and Real Estate Partner Melanie Clark in March.

Johnson brings 15 years of high-tech experience to the firm, with a concentration in technology, including computer software and hardware, Internet commerce, cloud computing, the Internet of Things, blockchain, electronics, software as a service, artificial intelligence, electromechanical technologies, automotive safety systems, energy utilization, and smart grid components. Johnson counsels clients on patent-related services, including US and foreign patent procurement, patent portfolio management, and strategic counseling. This work encompasses patent preparation and prosecution, patent opinions, due diligence investigations, audits, and pre-litigation patent analysis.

“Whit’s holistic tech experience enables us to continue our growth in a region that is experiencing rapid growth in innovation,” says Paul Hunter, co-chair of the firm’s Electronics Practice Group. “His deep knowledge of technology and experience representing technology clients will be a boon to Foley’s presence in Salt Lake City.”

“We are excited to add Whit to our Salt Lake team and apply his knowledge as a senior-level patent counselor to expand our client offerings,” says David Wright, managing partner of the firm’s Salt Lake City office. “Whit is not only a strong fit for our team and existing clients, but his complementary practice serves as an attractive resource to prospects seeking a full-service firm.”

In addition to advising clients on developing, protecting, and utilizing intellectual property rights, Johnson counsels clients on intellectual property licensing and other transactions involving intellectual property assets and dispute matters. Johnson also provides non-infringement, invalidity, and freedom-to-operate opinions performs product clearance analyses and due diligence investigations and provides guidance regarding designing around patents.

“I’m thrilled to be joining the Foley team as we work to support the rapidly expanding Salt Lake City tech market,” says Johnson. “Foley’s robust platform, unparalleled quality of work, and deep bench of resources are critical elements to help our clients foster innovation and thrive.”

About Foley & Lardner LLP

Foley & Lardner LLP looks beyond the law to focus on the constantly evolving demands facing our clients and their industries. With approximately 1,100 lawyers in 25 offices worldwide, Foley approaches client service by first understanding our clients’ priorities, objectives, and challenges. We work hard to understand our clients’ issues and forge long-term relationships with them to help achieve successful outcomes and solve their legal issues through practical business advice and cutting-edge legal insight. Our clients view us as trusted business advisors because we understand that great legal service is only valuable if it is relevant, practical, and beneficial to their businesses.