` Filed: March 14, 2016
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`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
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`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
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`COALITION FOR AFFORDABLE DRUGS VI LLC,
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`PETITIONER,
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`V.
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`CELGENE CORPORATION,
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`PATENT OWNER
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`___________________
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`Case IPR2015-01103
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`Patent No. 6,315,720
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`PETITIONER’S UNOPPOSED MOTION FOR PRO HAC VICE
`ADMISSION OF SADAF R. ABDULLAH AS BACK-UP COUNSEL
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`Pursuant to 37 C.F.R. § 42.10(c), Petitioner Coalition for Affordable Drugs
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`VI LLC (“CFAD”) hereby respectfully requests that the Board grant admission pro
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`hac vice to Ms. Sadaf R. Abdullah to act as back-up counsel in this proceeding.
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`I.
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`Introduction and Background
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`Counsel for CFAD consulted with counsel for Patent Owner, Celgene
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`Corporation (“Celgene”), and Celgene agreed it would not oppose the present
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`motion for pro hac vice admission of Ms. Abdullah.
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`On October 27, 2015, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (the “Board”)
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`instituted inter partes review of Celgene’s U.S. Patent No. 6,315,720. (See Paper
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`22.) The Board had previously authorized the parties to file motions for pro hac
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`vice admission under 37 C.F.R. § 42.10(c). (See Paper 3 at 2.) Therefore, the
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`present motion is proper at this time.
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`II.
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`Statement of Facts Showing Good Cause for the Present Motion
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`37 C.F.R. § 42.10(c) states that:
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`“The Board may recognize counsel pro hac vice during a proceeding
`upon a showing of good cause, subject to the condition that lead
`counsel be a registered practitioner and to any other conditions as the
`Board may impose. For example, where the lead counsel is a
`registered practitioner, a motion to appear pro hac vice by counsel
`who is not a registered practitioner may be granted upon showing that
`counsel is an experienced litigating attorney and has an established
`familiarity with the subject matter at issue in the proceeding.”
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`As explained and attested to in the accompanying Declaration of Sadaf R.
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`Abdullah, Ms. Abdullah has an established familiarity of the subject matter at issue
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`in this inter partes review. (Ex. 1082 ¶¶ 10-14.) Ms. Abdullah is an experienced
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`patent litigation attorney with specific experience serving as counsel (including as
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`trial counsel) in cases related to pharmaceutical patents. (Ex. 1082 ¶¶ 9.) As a
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`result of her work in those cases, Ms. Abdullah has gained expertise with regard to
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`inventions in the field of pharmaceuticals.
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`Ms. Abdullah is a Member in good standing with the Massachusetts (2006),
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`New York (2010), and Texas (2014) State Bars and is also admitted to practice in
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`the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. (Id. ¶ 1.)
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`Ms. Abdullah has applied to appear pro hac vice before the Office in one
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`other proceeding within the last three years. (Id. ¶ 2.) On February 19, 2016, Ms.
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`Abdullah applied to appear pro hac vice in IPR2015-00988, and that application
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`was granted on March 1, 2016 (see IPR2015-00988, Paper 26). (Ex. 1082 ¶ 2.)
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`Concurrently with this motion, Petitioner is also filing motions for pro hac vice
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`admission for Ms. Abdullah in IPR2015-01092, IPR2015-01096, and IPR2015-
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`01102.
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`Ms. Abdullah has never been disbarred or suspended from practice before
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`any court or administrative body. (Id. ¶ 3.)
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`Ms. Abdullah has never had any sanctions or contempt citations imposed on
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`him from any court or administrative body. (Id. ¶ 4.)
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`Ms. Abdullah has never been denied any application for admission to practice
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`before any court or administrative body. (Id. ¶ 5.)
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`CFAD’s lead counsel for this proceeding, Ms. Sarah Spires, is a registered
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`patent practitioner. (Id. ¶ 8.) She is expected to take a maternity leave in the next
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`several months (id.), and CFAD seeks the admission of Ms. Abdullah as back-up
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`counsel in order to assist during her absence.
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`Ms. Abdullah has established deep familiarity with the specific subject matter
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`at issue in this proceeding. (Id. ¶¶ 10-14.) Ms. Abdullah has read and analyzed the
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`Petition and supporting materials, and has read and analyzed U.S. Patent No.
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`6,315,720 (’720 Patent) as well as its prosecution history. (Id. ¶¶ 11-12.) Ms.
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`Abdullah worked with the expert witness (Jeffrey Fudin) in preparation for his
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`deposition regarding his declaration in support of the Petition, and attended the
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`deposition. (Id. ¶ 14). For example, she has worked as counsel in a case
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`concerning Patent Owner’s REMS-related programs, which is the subject matter of
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`’720 patent.
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`Finally, Ms. Abdullah has read and will comply with the Office Patent Trial
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`Practice Guide and the Board’s Rules of Practice for Trials set forth in 37 C.F.R. §
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`42 et. seq., and has agreed to be subject to the USPTO Rules of Professional
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`Responsibility set forth in 37 C.F.R. 11.101 et. seq., and disciplinary jurisdiction
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`under 37 C.F.R. 11.19(a). (Id. ¶ 7.)
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`III. Statement of Relief Requested
`For the foregoing reasons, Petitioner respectfully requests that the Board
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`grant admission pro hac vice to Ms. Abdullah as back-up counsel.
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`Dated: March 14, 2016
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`Respectfully submitted,
`/Sarah E. Spires/
`Sarah E. Spires (Reg. No. 61,501)
`SKIERMONT DERBY LLP
`2200 Ross Ave. Ste. 4800W
`Dallas, TX 75201
`P: 214-978-6600/F: 214-978-6601
`Lead Counsel for Petitioner
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`Certificate of Service
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`Pursuant to 37 C.F.R. § 42.6(e), I certify that I caused to be served on the
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`counsel for Patent Owner a true and correct copy of the foregoing Petitioner’s
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`Unopposed Motion for Pro Hac Vice Admission of Sadaf R. Abdullah as Back-Up
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`Counsel, as well as Exhibit 1082 to the Motion: Declaration of Sadaf R. Abdullah
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`in Support of Petitioner’s Unopposed Motion For Pro Hac Vice Admission of
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`Sadaf R. Abdullah as Back-Up Counsel, by electronic means on March 14, 2016 at
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`the following address of record:
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`Francis Cerrito
`nickcerrito@quinnemanuel.com
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`Eric C. Stops
`ericstops@quinnemanuel.com
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`Frank C. Calvosa
`frankcalvosa@quinnemanuel.com
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`Anthony Insogna
`aminsogna@jonesday.com
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`J. Patrick Elsevier
`jpelsevier@jonesday.com
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`Gasper J. LaRosa
`gjlarosa@jonesday.com
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`Respectfully submitted,
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`Dated: March 14, 2016
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`/Sarah E. Spires/
`Sarah E. Spires (Reg. No. 61,501)
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`Counsel for Petitioner