Myers Bigel Announces Erin Bobay and Vernon Guthrie as New Partners

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Award-winning Myers Bigel & Sibley, P.A. (Myers Bigel), the largest independent patent law firm in North Carolina, is pleased to announce that attorneys Erin Bobay and Vernon Guthrie have been named new partners effective January 1, 2016. Bobay, working in the firm’s Biotechnology and Chemical practice groups, and Guthrie, working in Electronics/Computer, are the 25th and 26th partners named at Myers Bigel.


“The type of technological know-how Erin and Vernon show with clients in their respective practice areas are reflective of the unique approach of our talented legal team,” said Lynne Borchers, the firms’ newly named Managing Partner.

Borchers pointed to the firm’s serious investment in high-quality talent like Bobay and Guthrie as continuing to build a stable team of practicing patent lawyers, heavily engaged in improving their work and contributing to a supportive environment for clients and for one another, unlike larger revolving-door firms.

Myers Bigel boasts an extraordinarily low turnover of attorneys, enabling clients to work with the same attorney familiar with their specific technology or science and individual business throughout the full length of the patent development, filing and grant process. Without needing to re-learn the technology or business specifics, Myers Bigel attorneys can focus on quality to ensure development of a strong patent that can be successfully enforced in court.

Erin Bobay focuses her practice on all aspects of patent prosecution and client counseling including portfolio management, strategy, and opinion work. She has a diverse practice area in the chemical and biotechnology fields, including pharmaceuticals, inorganic and organic chemicals and compositions, cosmetics, nanotechnology, polymers, medical diagnostics, medical treatments, plant and agriculture related technologies, and biofuels, as well as in medical devices, papermaking technology, and woven and nonwoven fabrics. Her background includes receiving Bachelor of Arts degrees in both Chemistry and Biology: Biomedical Emphasis, from the University of Northern Iowa; a Master’s degree in Biochemistry from North Carolina State University; and working at North Carolina State University on determining protein structure.  She received her Juris Doctor degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is a member of the North Carolina bar, and is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

The preparation and prosecution of patent applications in the electrical arts for Vernon Guthrie reflects his technology background, having received his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering, summa cum laude, from Clemson University. While at Clemson, he participated in a summer research internship with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the largest U.S. Department of Energy science and energy laboratory, conducting basic and applied research to deliver transformative solutions to compelling problems in energy and security. Guthrie received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law, is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and is a member of the North Carolina Bar.

Dedicated to best practices in patent law, the firm continues to be recognized by legal media and industry organizations as producing quality results and leading in the protection of intellectual property. Myers Bigel’s numerous awards and accolades, successful patent applications, and continuing referrals speak volumes to the talent and dedication of its vibrant team of longtime attorneys.

Myers Bigel operates out of the Research Triangle Park area of North Carolina, representing corporate and university clients located in the Carolinas, throughout the Southeast, across the United States, and in Europe and Asia.

For more information, visit www.myersbigel.com.

About Myers Bigel
Award-winning Myers Bigel & Sibley, P.A. is a nationally ranked intellectual property law firm combining patent law expertise with real-world industry experience. We are the largest independent patent law firm in North Carolina, representing corporate and university clients around the world in acquiring, protecting, and exploiting patent assets, including patent preparation, prosecution, licensing, and litigation. Dedicated to best practices in patent law, Myers Bigel is consistently recognized over the years by legal media and industry organizations as one of the top performing law firms in the country for securing the highest quality patent grants from the USPTO for its clients, offering a unique combination of quality law practice and breadth of legal expertise. For more information visit www.myersbigel.com.