SEATTLE (June 28) -- Kilpatrick Townsend announced today that six attorneys from the firm’s Seattle office were selected as 2017 Super Lawyers by Washington Super Lawyers. Partners Gwendolyn Payton (Class Action/Mass Torts), Rob Roy Smith (Native American Law), and Roger Wylie (Intellectual Property) were designated Super Lawyers, while associates Dario Machleidt (IP Litigation), Claire Newman (Native American Law), and Patrick Njeim (Intellectual Property) were designated 2017 Rising Stars.

The Super Lawyers distinction honors attorneys who attain a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement as some of the region’s pre-eminent lawyers. Super Lawyers is a rating service of lawyers from more than 70 practice areas. The selection process includes independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations, all of which result in a comprehensive and diverse listing of the top five percent of attorneys in each state.

Gwendolyn Payton, who recently joined Kilpatrick Townsend’s Seattle office, focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation, class actions, health care, and antitrust and trade litigation. She has an active trial practice in state and federal courts, and regularly argues appeals in state and federal courts. Ms. Payton was recognized as a Washington Rising Star (2001-2012) and a Washington Super Lawyer (2016-2017) for Class Action by Super Lawyers magazine.

Rob Roy Smith focuses his practice on federal Indian law. He advises Indian tribal clients on all aspects of federal, state and tribal law, including economic development, natural and cultural resource protection, taxation, tribal sovereignty and gaming. He has been recognized as a Washington Super Lawyer for Native American Law every year since 2014.

Roger Wylie is the Managing Partner of the Seattle office, and focuses his practice on patent prosecution and counseling, and advises start-up and established corporations, venture investors and other intellectual property stakeholders with regard to all aspects of patent prosecution and acquisition, counseling, licensing and litigation. He also counsels clients on a wide range of trademark, copyright, trade secrets, and other IP-related issues. Mr. Wylie has been named by Washington Super Lawyers for Intellectual Property every year since 2008.

Senior Associate Dario Machleidt is an intellectual property litigator. He has represented clients in a wide variety of complex matters, including patent, copyright, trademark, and trade secret disputes. His experience includes litigating patent cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court. He was recognized as a Washington Super Lawyers Rising Star from 2012 to 2016.

Claire Newman focuses her practice on litigation representing Indian tribes. She has assisted in representing tribes in federal, state and tribal court. Among other issues, Ms. Newman has assisted client tribes in matters involving sovereign immunity, self-governance, employment, water rights, code development, race discrimination, and Indian child welfare. This is her first Super Lawyers recognition.

Patrick Njeim focuses his practice on patent preparation and prosecution, due diligence matters, infringement and validity opinions, portfolio analysis, patent litigation, and post-grant proceedings. He represents clients in a wide range of technology areas, including computer software and hardware, virtualization and cloud computing, networking, wireless communications, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, medical devices, and various related technologies. This is his first Super Lawyers recognition.

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