Robert M. Safron, Of Counsel

Patterson Belknap is pleased to announce that Chambers USA - America’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2011 has named five of our practice areas and nine of our partners to its lists of law firm leaders.

Chambers rankings are based on extensive research and interviews with peers and clients around the country. The qualities assessed include technical legal ability, professional conduct, client service, commercial awareness/astuteness, diligence, commitment and other qualities most valued by the client.

The following firm practices were ranked:

• Advertising: Litigation - National
  • Intellectual Property: Patent Litigation - New York
  • Intellectual Property: Trade Mark & Copyright Litigation - New York
  • Media & Entertainment: Entertainment Litigation - New York
  • Real Estate: Mainly Dirt - New York
• In addition, the following partners were ranked as leading lawyers in their fields:
• Gregory L. Diskant in Intellectual Property: Patent - New York
  • Andrew L. Herz in Real Estate - New York
  • Jeffrey I.D. Lewis in Intellectual Property: Patent Litigation - New York
  • Robert P. LoBue in Intellectual Property: Trade Mark & Copyright Litigation - New York
  and in Media & Entertainment: Copyright & Contract Disputes - New York
  • Geoffrey Potter in Intellectual Property: Trade Mark & Copyright Litigation – New York
  • Robert M. Safron in Real Estate - New York
  • Saul B. Shapiro in Media & Entertainment: Copyright & Contract Disputes - New York
  • John D. Winter in Products Liability & Mass Torts – National
  • Steven A. Zalesin in Advertising: Litigation - National
• Comments regarding the firm from the Chambers 2011 guide include:

  ADVERTISING LITIGATION - NATIONWIDE

  The Firm: This 17-member team is recognized as one of the elite players in false advertising litigation. Its reputation is solidly anchored in its attorneys' tremendous expertise and industry knowledge, which has proved central to the firm's attraction of a glittering client base of prominent advertisers, such as Cola-Cola, L'Oréal and Johnson & Johnson. Recent highlights include representing online travel agency Priceline.com in a false advertising case brought by Expedia.

  Sources say: "These lawyers are truly experts in this area, and this is arguably the number-one firm for NAD issues."

  Key Individuals: Steve Zalesin … is highly regarded for his achievements in representing leading manufacturing clients in notable false advertising cases. He successfully represented Coca-Cola in a false advertising suit brought by POM Wonderful.

  
  INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LITIGATION: PATENT, TRADEMARK & COPYRIGHT - NEW YORK

  The Firm: This practice is famed for its all-encompassing approach to IP, and the team covers patent, anticounterfeiting, copyright, trademark and trade secrets. The team has a reputation for representing the most eminent blue-chip clients, including Dow Jones, Time Warner, Johnson & Johnson and Microsoft.

  Sources say: "They deliver extremely high-quality work and practical advice, and produce the desired results."

  Key Individuals: Gregory Diskant’s practice focuses on IP litigation, particularly in the patent field, and he is highlighted for his commercial expertise. "He knows how to analyze and come up with a strategy that matches our business purpose," enthused one client. Jeffrey Lewis has represented both patentees and accused infringers in all aspects of patent litigation. Robert LoBue practices in trademark and copyright, particularly in the media and entertainment industry. Geoffrey Potter litigates counterfeiting and product diversion cases for large corporations in a variety of areas, and he has particular experience in the medical, pharmaceuticals, industrial and electronic industries.

  MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT LITIGATION – NEW YORK

  The Firm: Commentators note this firm's prominence in significant media and entertainment disputes. Its attorneys handle a wide variety of cases, including complex commercial and intellectual property issues. The group works with a number of heavyweight media clients, such as Thomson Reuters, Dow Jones & Company and McGraw-Hill.

  Sources say: "A superb team - extremely high-quality work, practical advice, and they always produce the desired results."

  Key Individuals: The "resourceful and creative" approach of Saul Shapiro pays dividends for clients. He is defending McGraw-Hill in an alleged corporate espionage case against Reed Construction Data. Robert LoBue is cochair and managing partner of the firm. He is well regarded in this sector for his expertise in IP and First Amendment litigation.

  REAL ESTATE – NEW YORK

  The Firm: This efficient five-partner team provides clients with a wide range of services. Those of particular note are contractual advice for leases and acquisitions and its handling of both purchases and sales. The practice is adept at marshaling expertise from other departments as necessary; it recently worked closely with the firm's tax-exempt attorneys to advise The Silberman Fund on a complex transaction that led to the largest ever gift given to the City University of New York, $48 million. The group provides outside counsel on numerous real estate matters for Dow Jones.

  Sources say: "It is a comprehensive, service-oriented and detail-driven one-stop shop for real estate."

  Key Individuals: Andrew Herz has a great deal of experience in the real estate arena. He focuses his practice on commercial office leasing, mortgage financing and workouts. He is acknowledged as "a highly knowledgeable leasing lawyer." Robert Safron is providing co-counsel for the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey regarding the high-profile leasing of 1 million sq ft for the headquarters of Condé Nast Publications at One World Trade Center. He has represented investors, developers, lenders and owners with regards to commercial real estate. Clients particularly appreciate the practicality of these two attorneys who are so proficient in dirt law.