(CHICAGO) Katten announced today that six of its Litigation partners, including Insurance and Health Care Fraud Litigation practice chair Ross Silverman and Patent Litigation practice national co-chair Deepro Mukerjee, were named BTI Client Service All-Stars 2020, a distinction conferred as a result of corporate counsel submitting unprompted feedback regarding individuals who provide exceptional client service.
The Katten honorees represent offices across the firm: Eric Gortner, Insurance and Health Care Fraud Litigation partner in Chicago; Jitendra "Jitty" Malik, PhD, Patent Litigation partner in Charlotte; Jonathan Marks, Insurance and Health Care Fraud Litigation partner in Chicago; and Joel Weiner, Entertainment and Media Litigation partner in Los Angeles. Mukerjee, who represents the world's largest generic pharmaceutical companies in Hatch-Waxman cases nationwide, is based in New York. Silverman, who represents some of the nation's top insurance companies, is based in Chicago.
"There is perhaps no greater compliment to our firm than to say we offer top-notch client service," said Katten Chairman Roger P. Furey. "These six attorneys represent a firmwide dedication to providing service beyond expectations. We are thrilled to have them recognized in this way."
BTI Consulting states that superior client focus, innovative thought leadership, unmatched business understanding, legal skills, outsized value and outstanding results are factors that drive exceptional client service.
Gortner helps insurance companies identify and combat fraud nationwide by investigating and identifying fraudulent trends and pursuing the claims in court. He represents large insurance carriers in health care fraud and affirmative RICO litigation involving fraudulent insurance claims in numerous jurisdictions nationwide. He also advises insurers on how to investigate and identify fraudulent claims and identify recovery strategies, including affirmative litigation. Gortner has extensive experience representing clients in False Claims Act (qui tam) litigation involving health care fraud allegations relating to pharmaceutical pricing, off-label marketing and alleged false claims paid by Medicare, Medicaid, Veterans Administration and other federal health care programs.
Malik’s wide-ranging patent practice includes patent litigation, post-grant patent practice before the US Patent and Trademark Office, patent counseling and patent prosecution. With particular experience in the drug approval process under the Hatch-Waxman and Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Acts (BPCIA), he helps clients develop strategies for marketing drug and biologic/biosimilar products, and challenging patents pursuant to the Hatch-Waxman Act and BPCIA. His practice encompasses patent litigation, post-grant patent review, opinions, Intellectual Property due diligence, licensing and prosecution. He handles matters in which patents are challenged post grant before the US Patent and Trademark Office, including inter partes review and post-grant review process, ex-parte reexaminations and reissues.
Marks helps large insurers and others develop investigation, claims handling and litigation strategies to detect, prevent and deter fraud. As an Assistant US attorney, he tried numerous federal jury trials and argued appeals before the US Court of Appeals. Representing major health, workers' compensation and property and casualty insurers across the country who are trying to prevent fraud and address fraudulent claims, he has handled hundreds of insurance fraud investigations and dozens of fraud litigation matters. At every stage of counseling, investigation, litigation and in court, Marks helps his clients position themselves to find resolutions and obtain the outcomes they seek.
Mukerjee's work on generic pharmaceutical companies in Hatch-Waxman cases is part of a larger practice advising numerous multi-national companies (pharmaceutical and otherwise) on their respective IP needs, particularly for "bet the company" litigations. A first chair litigator who has tried bench and jury trials nationwide, he has been lead trial counsel in many Hatch-Waxman cases, often taking them to trial and subsequent appeals. Mukerjee has handled inter partes review proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. While his focus is in the pharmaceutical and life sciences arena, Mukerjee's litigation experience is more expansive, covering matters related to biotechnology, botanicals, and voice recognition software, to name some.
Silverman represents insurance companies in reducing their exposure to, and recovering money paid as a result of, fraudulent insurance claims, with a particular focus on health care fraud. One of more than a dozen former federal prosecutors in the Katten's white-collar defense practice, Silverman has for more than 25 years successfully litigated RICO, fraud and qui tam actions involving insurance claims, with a particular focus on health care fraud in jurisdictions across the country. He also counsels insurers on claims-handling best practices and litigation strategies designed to reduce their exposure to fraud.
Weiner handles disputes across a broad range of subject matter. With nearly 30 years of litigation experience and vast industry knowledge, he has been trusted by media and entertainment companies with high-profile lawsuits involving series, films and other valuable entertainment properties. Weiner represents motion picture studios, television networks, production companies and talent on the full spectrum of litigation issues. He frequently handles cases involving copyright, contract, accounting, and business tort claims, as well as personal claims against high-profile entertainers, directors and professional athletes.
The BTI Client Service All-Stars report is produced by conducting in-depth interviews with corporate counsel to uncover factors driving superior client service. BTI conducted hundreds of individual interviews with corporate counsel at Fortune 1000 companies and large organizations to probe clients on every aspect of law firm relationships, needs and priorities; the law firms clients rely on; and client expectations for legal service.
