Farella Braun + Martel Recruits Intellectual Property Litigation Partner, Mid-Level Environmental Associate From Silicon Valley Firms

Robert H. Sloss joins Farella from Mountain View's General Counsel Associates LLP; Ruth Ann Castro also joins firm's environmental practice from Fenwick & West LLP

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (January 15, 2002): Farella Braun + Martel LLP announces that Robert H. Sloss, formerly a partner with General Counsel Associates LLP of Mountain View, has joined the firm's Intellectual Property Practice Group as a partner. Also joining the firm in its Environmental Practice is Ruth Ann Castro, a former litigation associate with the Palo Alto office of Fenwick & West LLP.

"As Farella continues its targeted expansion, we are actively seeking attorneys whose experience and expertise fit our client's needs," said William J. Schlinkert, chair, Farella Braun + Martel. "Bob Sloss and Ruth Ann Castro will allow us to further deepen our litigation resources and provide additional strength in our rapidly growing intellectual property and environmental litigation practices. We are delighted to have them join the firm."

During Sloss's decade-long tenure with General Counsel Associates he built a platform of intellectual property experience including complex intellectual property and patent infringement cases, trade secret, trademark and copyright issues, technology licensing and unfair competition. His practice includes a range of clients in virtually every aspect of technology, from software development to Internet service and hardware design to biotechnology.

"Bob's breadth of experience complements and enhances the depth of our resources," said James W. Morando, co-chair of the firm's Intellectual Property Practice. "With approximately 20 attorneys in our expanding intellectual property group, Bob's experience further enables us to offer clients the ability to resolve a wide variety of high stakes and complex IP and technology-related disputes."

Prior to joining General Counsel Associates, Sloss was a partner with San Francisco-based Broad, Schulz, Larson & Wineberg where he focused on intellectual property, securities, employment, banking, construction and unfair competition matters. He began his legal career with Pillsbury, Madison & Sutro (now Pillsbury Winthrop) focusing on trademark infringement, securities, antitrust and ERISA matters.

Sloss received his J.D. degree from Hastings College of the Law, University of California, in 1979, where he was Order of the Coif, Associate Editor, Hastings Law Journal, a member of the Thurston Honor Society and a recipient of the Milton Green Award. He received a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1976 and an A.B. degree in History in 1975 from Stanford University.

Also joining the firm in its environmental practice as a litigation associate is Ruth Ann Castro, formerly an associate with Fenwick & West LLP. Castro previously served as a law clerk with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Air, Toxics, Water and General Law Branch, San Francisco. She will draw on her experience by focusing on the environmental litigation of the firm's Environmental Practice, as well as attendant environmental regulatory matters. Farella's Environmental Practice is among the largest and most experienced in the country, and enjoys a national reputation for litigation, regulatory representation and compliance counseling in all areas of environmental law and product stewardship.

She is a 2000 cum laude graduate of Tulane Law School, New Orleans, LA where she was senior managing editor of the Environmental Law Journal and a student attorney with the Tulane Environmental Law Clinic. Castro received her B.A. degree in 1995 from the University of California, Berkeley.

Since its founding in 1962, Farella Braun + Martel has achieved a national distinction for its complex commercial litigation practice, its high profile cases, prestigious client base and the acumen of its business practice. With 120 attorneys in the firm's San Francisco office, Farella Braun + Martel serves a diverse group of clients from multinational corporations to emerging businesses including VISA U.S.A., Inc., Verizon Wireless Services, Dolby Laboratories Inc., The Robert Mondavi Corporation, McKesson Corporation, General Electric Company, The University of California, Silicon Valley Bank and Dainippon Screen Manufacturing Company Limited.

Farella Braun + Martel also maintains an office in the Napa Valley, focused on the wine industry and related businesses. The firm's practice areas include complex commercial litigation, intellectual property litigation, insurance coverage, construction litigation, environmental counseling and litigation, employment litigation, white collar crime, real estate, land use, corporate and securities, tax, family wealth and business planning and the wine and agribusiness industries.