Issue 6 2019

46 Acquisition International - Issue 6 2019 May19254 Skiermont Derby LLP is a litigation boutique of trial lawyers with offices in Dallas and Los Angeles. The firm’s Paul J. Skiermont was recently recognized in AI’s Leading Adviser 2019, where he was named the Leading Pharmaceuticals and Life Sciences Intellectual Property Litigator of the Year, Texas. Following this win, we caught up with Paul who provided us with a detailed glimpse into the innerworkings of the firm’s success. ounded in July 2011, Skiermont Derby is a law firm comprised of trial lawyers who have experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants in patent infringement lawsuits, antitrust and unfair competition litigation, and other complex commercial cases. The team at Skiermont Derby has extensive experience litigating all types of IP claims, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets. The team also has extensive experience litigating antitrust, breach of contract, defamation and unfair competition claims. Paul begins by going into further detail about the service the team at Skiermont Derby provides to their clients, noting how their extensive experience enables them to offer assistance in a vast range of sectors. “Here at Skiermont Derby, we have a successful track record of assisting and supporting inventors and businesses with enforcing and monetizing their patents, as well as defending our clients against claims of patent infringement. “Our experience spans many technical fields, including automotive, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, consumer electronics, natural language processing and intelligent personal assistants to name but a few.” Skiermont Derby was founded with the vision of leveraging new and emerging technology to deliver legal services more efficiently, together with alternative fee agreements that reject the billable- hour model in favor of more predictable and success-based fees— to provide their clients with unmatched value and experienced trial lawyers who understand high-stakes commercial litigation. The firm’s leader, Paul Skiermont, is a trial lawyer representing companies large and small in litigation involving complex science and technology. Prior to founding his own practice, Paul was a partner at Bartlit Beck LLP, a nationally renowned litigation boutique known for its success in high-stakes cases. Over the years, Paul has accumulated a wealth of experience and knowledge within the field, as well as countless awards including being selected by Acquisition Intl. in the Leading Adviser 2019 as the Leading Pharmaceuticals and Life Sciences Intellectual Property Litigator of the Year, Texas. Bringing the interview to a close, Paul signs off by reflecting on how far Skiermont Derby has come since their inception, highlighting in particular the expansion of the team over the years. “Since our inception in 2011, we have built a diverse team of highly experienced attorneys who work collaboratively to deliver exceptional service to our clients. In short, our model relies on experienced counsel rather than leveraging hours of junior associates.” On the Road to Success F “...we have built a diverse team of highly experienced attorneys who work collaboratively to deliver exceptional service to our clients. In short, our model relies on experienced counsel rather than leveraging hours of junior associates.” Looking ahead to what the future holds for the team at Skiermont Derby, the firm will continue to provide impeccable service, working alongside their clients to develop appropriate alternative fee structures of all kinds. This includes full contingent fees, hybrid or blended contingent fees, monthly flat fees with a client holdback of a percentage of fees that serves as the lodestar for success bonuses to the firm. Lastly, the team at Skiermont Derby hope to build upon the countless accomplishments they have achieved over the years. Contact: Paul J. Skiermont Company: Skiermont Derby LLP Address: 1601 Elm Street, Suite 4400, Dallas, Texas, 75201, United States Telephone: 001 214 978 6600 Web Address: www.skiermontderby.com