Venable Names Six Attorneys to Partnership

Attorneys from intellectual property, legislative, business, state and local government and business practices elected to partnership

5 min


WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 29, 2009) - Venable LLP is pleased to announce that six of the firm's attorneys have been elected to partnership status: Robert S. Babayi, Ashley W. Craig, David M. Farnum, David H. Karceski, Christopher W. Pate, and Jason C. Rose.

"Each of the partners in Venable's class of 2009 exemplifies the core Venable values: working hard, providing superior counsel to our clients, conforming to the highest ethical standards, significantly contributing to the communities in which we live and work, and treating those with whom we work with decency and respect," said Karl A. Racine, Venable's managing partner. "For more than 100 years, these attributes have been the calling card of a Venable partner, and I am pleased to welcome each of these dedicated attorneys to our partnership."

Robert S. Babayi, a member of Venable's Intellectual Property Litigation and Patent Prosecution Practice Groups, focuses on counseling clients on patent, licensing and IP litigation issues. Mr. Babayi draws on his electrical engineering background as well as his experience as in-house counsel at Motorola Inc. and IBM Corp. provide clients with advice on the relevance, strength and value of patents to commercial markets and in the development of practical patent strategies.

Mr. Babayi has prosecuted several hundred US patents with primary emphasis on wired and wireless telecommunications, computing architecture, network layer protocols, semi-conductors, manufacturing processes, power systems, object oriented programming and the Internet and e-commerce related inventions. He is very familiar with PCT practice, reexamination and re-issue proceedings.

Mr. Babayi received his J.D. from the University of Miami in 1992. He received his B.S.E.E. from Florida International University in 1981. Mr. Babayi is resident in Venable's Washington office.

Ashley W. Craig, a member of Venable's Legislative and Government Affairs Practice, maintains a diverse practice advising clients on a variety of domestic and international legislative, regulatory and policy matters. He counsels U.S. and foreign interests on transactional matters, cross-border regulatory and policy concerns, concentrating on homeland and transportation security matters. Mr. Craig's more recent homeland and transportation security legislative experience includes the SAFE Port Act of 2006, the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 and the Trade Act of 2002.

Mr. Craig regularly appears before Executive Branch agencies, Congress, as well as foreign governments and international organizations, such as the European Commission, UK parliament and ministries, numerous ministries and offices of the People's Republic of China, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the World Customs Organization. Mr. Craig received his J.D. from the Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law in 2000. He received his B.A. from American University in 1992. Mr. Craig is resident in Venable's Washington office.

David M. Farnum, a member of Venable's Intellectual Property Litigation Group, focuses his practice on all aspects of intellectual property litigation, including patents, trade secrets and copyright. Mr. Farnum has litigated cases involving a wide variety of technologies, including biotechnology, computer software, consumer products, medical devices, pharmaceuticals (including Hatch-Waxman litigation), and telecommunications.

Mr. Farnum received his J.D. from Yale University in 1998. He received his A.B. from the University of Chicago in 1992. Mr. Farnum is resident in Venable's Washington office.

David H. Karceski, a member of the firm's State and Local Government Practice Group, counsels clients on land use and development matters throughout the Baltimore Metropolitan region. With a particular focus on Baltimore County and Baltimore City, his multi-jurisdictional practice includes the representation of local, regional, and national developers and builders, institutions, and commercial businesses before administrative bodies and appeal boards to obtain required zoning and development approvals.

Prior to joining Venable, Mr. Karceski served as a judicial clerk to the Honorable Joseph F. Murphy, Jr., formerly Chief Judge of the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland. Mr. Karceski received his law degree from The Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law, J.D., in 1998. He received his B.A. from Tulane University in 1994. Mr. Karceski is resident in Venable's Towson, Maryland office.

Christopher W. Pate, a member of the firm's Business Transactions Practice Group, represents publicly- and privately-held real estate investment trusts (REITs) and other companies in connection with major transactions, corporate governance issues, securities transactions and other financings. He has counseled buyers and sellers in several recent merger and acquisition transactions valued in excess of $1 billion. Mr. Pate has also advised issuers in multiple stock and debt offerings, including initial public offerings. Mr. Pate has also served as Maryland counsel for the Special Committees of several companies in their consideration and negotiation of strategic alternatives.

Before joining Venable, Mr. Pate served as judicial clerk to the Honorable Thomas L. Ambro of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Mr. Pate received his J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law, with honors, in 1999. He received his B.A., summa cum laude, from Loyola College in 1996. Mr. Pate is resident in Venable's Baltimore office.

Jason C. Rose, a member of the firm's Commercial Litigation Group, maintains a diverse practice focused on the efficient resolution of commercial, intellectual property and product liability disputes, including such areas as securities and shareholder suits, business torts, and commercial contract and software licensing disputes.

Mr. Rose was a member of a team of Venable attorneys serving as national counsel to a pharmaceutical manufacturer in nationwide litigation. Before joining Venable, Mr. Rose worked in a New York firm where he represented a major air carrier in the 9/11 Commission investigation and related litigation arising out of the terrorist attacks in 2001. He also offers business experience derived from his time working in the international legal group of a leading global heavy machinery manufacturer while living in Tokyo, Japan. In that capacity he counseled the company's business and legal departments on a variety of commercial contract formation and risk management issues involved in large scale international industrial projects and ventures.

From 1998 to 1999, Mr. Rose was a law clerk for the Honorable Arrie W. Davis, Court of Special Appeals of Maryland, 1998-1999. Mr. Rose received his J.D. from the University of Baltimore School of Law, J.D., cum laude, in 1998. he received his B.A. from Villanova University in 1993. Mr. Rose is resident in Venable's Baltimore office.

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One of the American Lawyer’s top 100 law firms, Venable LLP has attorneys practicing in all areas of corporate and business law, complex litigation, intellectual property and government affairs. Venable serves corporate, institutional, governmental, nonprofit and individual clients throughout the U.S. and around the world from its headquarters in Washington, D.C. and offices in California, Maryland, New York and Virginia.