CPA Global, an intellectual property (IP) management and software specialist, has opened a new office in Silicon Valley, to help meet the massive demand for IP management services in the region and to enable the company to better serve its existing West Coast clients.
Located in Redwood City, the new office will support the IP needs of CPA Global's more than 220 corporate and law firm clients in California; and adds to the company's other U.S. offices in Alexandria, Minneapolis and Houston.
"The West Coast, and Silicon Valley in particular, is a major center for innovation," said Peter Sewell, CPA Global's Chief Executive Officer. "Opening an office in California brings us closer to our West Coast clients, and helps us better understand their needs and the unique characteristics of the region. This, in turn, will enable us to provide highly customized services and solutions to meet their individual requirements."
The Silicon Valley office announcement follows closely on from another important expansion into California for CPA Global. Last month the company acquired First To File, the market leader in electronic document management systems, specifically tailored for the IP industry. First To File is headquartered in San Mateo, Calif., with additional operations in Boise, Idaho. These developments underline CPA Global's commitment to California and the West Coast, and highlight the strong business potential the company sees from the increasing demand for IP services in the region.
To mark the opening of the new office, CPA Global is hosting an IP Leaders Seminar on March 19 in Silicon Valley. The event will feature insights from some of the industry leading companies and law firms counted amongst CPA Global's clients, as well as from CPA Global's own experts. Topics will range from the increasing complexity and challenges of IP portfolio management to delivering greater value through new approaches to resourcing.
Jess Carmichael, Business Services Program Manager at Microsoft, will lead the first panel session of the event, focusing on Microsoft's decision to outsource some of its IP support services and the tangible benefits the company has seen from partnering with CPA Global. Peter Yim, Partner at Morrison & Foerster, and Kurt Wedel, Vice President, Operations at First To File, will lead the next session, discussing how corporations and law firms compete effectively by automating the IP asset lifecycle via a secure and sustainable web-based solution. The event will conclude with a discussion led by Laura Martino, Head of Global Operations, Legal Services at CPA Global, who will talk about the stronger climate of enforcement around compliance issues and how to avoid falling foul of anti-bribery legislation.
"As a global IP industry leader, we are delighted to establish a direct presence in a region where so much cutting-edge innovation is being developed," Sewell said. "We aim to play a prominent role in the conversations driving the IP industry; and our Silicon Valley IP Leaders Seminar is the first of many industry events we will deliver in the region, aimed at sharing information and discussing issues impacting IP professionals."
