Ikenna Ejimonyeugwo and Ava Lutz join boutique intellectual property law firm

PHILADELPHIA (December 2023) – Intellectual property law firm Panitch Schwarze Belisario & Nadel LLP is pleased to announce that Ikenna C. Ejimonyeugwo and Ava Lutz joined the firm as associates, focusing their practices on patent law. Both return to the firm after having served as law clerks.

“Ikenna and Ava have provided tremendous support to our firm, and we are thrilled to welcome them to the team in these new roles,” said Panitch Schwarze partner Martin Belisario. “As law students, they immersed themselves in patent law, and we know they will be valuable resources as they join our experienced team of IP attorneys in securing patents and protecting our clients’ intellectual property.”

Ejimonyeugwo’s practice focuses primarily on life sciences, pharmaceuticals, software, biotechnology, and engineering. He began his career as a life sciences researcher at the University of Maryland while attending undergraduate school. While working as a lab researcher in the Department of Biology, Ejimonyeugwo developed an academic model that explored the integration of biology and business schemes in newly developed biotechnology inventions.

After earning his Bachelor of Science degree in biology, Ejimonyeugwo attended Delaware Law School as a State Merit Scholarship recipient. While a law student, he served as a staff member of the Delaware Patent Pro Bono Program, where he assisted underfunded inventors in filing patents. He has worked on numerous patents, including DNA sequences, cannabinoid compositions for use in treating diseases, pharmaceutical compositions, mechanical parts that improve the performance of rechargeable batteries in electric vehicles, and blockchain and computer vision protection systems.

“I am pleased to further my career with the Panitch Schwarze team,” said Ejimonyeugwo. “The firm has a deep bench of impressive legal talent in the IP space, and I look forward to working with them to equip our clients with the tools they need to safeguard their intellectual property.”

Lutz is an intellectual property attorney with a focus on the life sciences sector. She assists clients with counseling and opinions relating to life sciences IP, procurement of those rights both domestically and internationally, and enforcement and related challenges of those rights in various forums, including Federal District Court and before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.

Prior to joining Panitch Schwarze as an associate, Lutz served as a law clerk to the Honorable Martin C. Carlson, United States Magistrate Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. She graduated summa cum laude from Widener University Commonwealth Law School, where she was the Editor-in-Chief of the Widener Commonwealth Law Review. As a law student, she had the privilege of interning with Magistrate Judge Carlson and District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Additionally, she was a member of the Moot Court Honor Society and served as a teaching assistant for first year contracts classes.

Lutz is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar and is admitted to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. And recently, she passed the Delaware Bar Exam. Lutz earned a B.S. in biochemistry and molecular biology from the Pennsylvania State University.

“I am excited to return to Panitch Schwarze as an associate,” said Lutz. “I look forward to utilizing my background in life sciences in collaboration with my experienced colleagues to secure the best outcomes for our clients.”