Fall 2011 Coaches Lineup

Glen E. Caplan

Glen's practice consists of counseling emerging growth technology and life science companies across a broad spectrum of sectors, including networking, software systems and applications, consumer electronics, video games, retail, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Glen counsels his clients through each stage of the company's life cycle, including its initial corporate formation and other general corporate matters, venture capital financings, initial and secondary public offerings, mergers and acquisitions, as well as corporate governance and securities laws compliance.

Glen joined Hutchison Law Group in March 2005 after practicing in the Silicon Valley office of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C., the premier law firm in Silicon Valley.

Glen received his law degree from the Duke University School of Law in 2002. He received his B.S. in Business, cum laude, from The Wayne Calloway School of Business and Accountancy at Wake Forest University in 1999.

Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson is a corporate and commercial law firm committed to providing each client with comprehensive legal services of the highest quality.  For more than fifty years, we have provided innovative solutions to our clients' business needs from both a legal and practical perspective.  The firm has a wide-ranging business practice and serves as counsel to public and closely held enterprises operating in domestic and foreign markets, individuals, municipal, county and state agencies, public utilities, health care institutions, financial institutions, tax-exempt organizations, and investment funds of various types.  The breadth of experience derived from these representations has equipped our firm to anticipate and respond to the rapid changes that define today's business environment.

  J. Christopher Lynch

Attorney with Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton

Chris's practice focuses on intellectual property protection & licensing, mergers & acquisitions, private placements, and venture capital financings, primarily for clients in the communications, electronics, life sciences and software industries. He joined the firm in 1992 and has worked extensively with technology-based companies in the Research Triangle Park. Prior to that time, Chris practiced at Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati, the largest law firm in Silicon Valley, where he worked with various technology-based companies.

He graduated from the University of Virginia, receiving his B.A., with honors, and from Harvard Law School, receiving his J.D., cum laude.

Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton has provided full-service legal representation on a local, regional and national basis since 1979. We are an entrepreneurial law firm with a focus on growth-oriented businesses. We handle sophisticated financial and corporate transactions and complex commercial litigation as well as other legal needs of dynamic companies. We also serve as trusted business advisors to founders, investors, directors and management. Organizationally, Wyrick Robbins is divided into four sections: Corporate, Litigation, Commercial Real Estate and Wealth Preservation. Our clients range from startup and early-stage companies to established growth companies. Over the past three decades, our firm has grown to become one of the largest law firms based in the Research Triangle Park area. One important reason for our growth has been the value proposition we offer clients-high-quality legal services that deliver practical solutions-all at a reasonable cost. 

Jason S. Wood

Jason's practice focuses on intellectual property transactions and strategic partnerships, primarily for clients in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical device industries. Jason joined the firm in 2000.

Jason received his B.S. in Biology from Duke University and his M.S. in Biology from the University of California, San Diego. He earned his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he was an editor of the Virginia Law Review. Jason is also a member of the Order of the Coif, a national honor society for law school graduates.

Prior to attending law school, Jason worked in the Office of Technology Development at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, where he managed the Institute's relationships with major pharmaceutical companies and negotiated licenses and other agreements with emerging ventures.

Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton has provided full-service legal representation on a local, regional and national basis since 1979. We are an entrepreneurial law firm with a focus on growth-oriented businesses. We handle sophisticated financial and corporate transactions and complex commercial litigation as well as other legal needs of dynamic companies. We also serve as trusted business advisors to founders, investors, directors and management. Organizationally, Wyrick Robbins is divided into four sections: Corporate, Litigation, Commercial Real Estate and Wealth Preservation. Our clients range from startup and early-stage companies to established growth companies. Over the past three decades, our firm has grown to become one of the largest law firms based in the Research Triangle Park area. One important reason for our growth has been the value proposition we offer clients-high-quality legal services that deliver practical solutions-all at a reasonable cost.

Justyn J. Kasierski

Justyn advises technology and emerging growth companies at all stages of development across a range of industries, including software, e-commerce, video games and development, networking, advanced materials, clean-tech, alternative energy, medical devices, biotechnology and biopharmaceuticals.  He also represents angel and venture capital funds in their fundraising and investment activities.  Justyn counsels clients on day-to-day legal and business issues, and his transactional experience includes start-up and formation, public and private offerings of equity and debt securities, mergers and acquisitions, commercial transactions and strategic partnerships.

Justyn joined Hutchison Law Group after practicing in the Waltham office of Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigan, LLP, a national venture law firm.  During his tenure at Gunderson Dettmer, Justyn represented a variety of private and public technology companies and also served as counsel for a number of leading venture capital funds. 

Hutchison Law Group moving rapidly toward its goal since its founding in 1996, is a leading law firm serving the business and intellectual property needs of the corporate technology communities in the Southeast. We concentrate in the life sciences and information technology sectors, as well as on companies spinning out of university and research institutions as they move toward commercialization of technology of all kinds. Hutchison Law Group has become synonymous with innovation and growth, largely because our lawyers understand the needs of technology and other early-stage companies and apply this knowledge to every client problem. Our work extends well beyond the conventional legal counsel to the use of networking and business connections to assist our business partners. Our clients' success fuels our firm's sense of worth. We represent selected start-up companies and are typically retained by these companies as they grow, prosper and become even larger concerns. 

George Grody

Marketing Expert

George is originally from West Hartford Ct. and graduated from Duke in 1981 with a BS in Management Science.  He then went to work for Procter & Gamble and was there for 26 years in a variety of assignments in Sales, Marketing and General Management across the globe.  He worked on projects that included developing and launching new brands, managing the integration of acquired companies, North American corporate restructure, and starting up new business and new subsidiaries in Australia/New Zealand, Central & Eastern Europe and the Balkans.  His last assignment prior to retiring was as Director for Global Strategic Alliances which entailed working with other companies and governments on co-technology and co-marketing deals.

After retiring, George moved to Durham and teaches Duke undergrads in Sociology and the Markets & Management Studies program.  He focuses his teaching on Marketing and Leadership.  He's the faculty representative on the Duke University Union Board and the faculty advisor to the Duke Marketing Club and Duke Student Broadcasting. He is the Chairman of the National Board Advisors for the Duke Children's Hospital as well as a member of the Duke Medicine Board of Visitors.  He previously served on the Board of Trustees for the Ronald McDonald House of Durham and on the Duke Athletics Advisory Board.  George lives in Durham with his Black Labs Dancer & Pearl. 

Andrew Schwab 

Entrepreneur

Andrew Schwab is a Successful entrepreneur with over 25 years of technology experience with an emphasis on early stage development of technology based startup companies.  He is an experienced, self motivated senior executive with proven management and startup skills covering all phases of technology commercialization.  His diverse background includes extensive knowledge of the Internet and related technologies, e-business startup and expansion and emerging technology evaluation and integration with existing business models and processes.    

Mike Johnston

Attorney with Moore & Van Allen

A former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency environmental engineer, co-leader of the Intellectual Property group and MVA Patent Team co-manager, Mike Johnston brings deep technical and legal experience to his patent law practice.

He possesses extensive know-how in preparing and prosecuting U.S. and foreign patent applications in the mechanical, computer software, chemical and biotechnology arts.  He also administers and manages clients' patent portfolios, including the payment of annuities and maintenance fees, and prepares and evaluates patent assignments and license agreements.

In addition, Mr. Johnston counsels clients on a broad range of intellectual property matters, including patent procurement and patentability, patent infringement and validity opinions, and litigation.    

Moore & Van Allen has over 300 legal professionals, a long history of civic service, and noted national, regional and local clients.  Moore & Van Allen ranks among the Southeast's preeminent and fastest growing full-service law firms.  We believe our ability to help our clients achieve success remains an uncommon art. 

Joe Pantigoso

Marketing Expert

Joe Pantigoso is an experienced, New York-trained, marketing communications professional with a distinguished 20 year track record of building brands, as well as agency business, at leading advertising and branding firms like Landor Associates, J. Walter Thompson and Ogilvy & Mather.

Joe is a former Managing Director of Landor, a global leader in strategic branding and design.  In New York, he was an Executive Director working on corporate engagements for clients like Tenaris, Unibanco and the Wildlife Conservation Society.  Later, as Managing Director of Landor in Mexico City, he was responsible for packaged goods clients like Dannon, PepsiCo, Pfizer, Philip Morris, P&G, Unilever as well as service and B2B companies like Cemex Mexicana and Santander.  Under his leadership, his office was one of the fastest growing in the Landor network.

Brooks Malone

Certified Public Accountant

Brooks has 22 years of public accounting experience. He joined Hughes Pittman & Gupton, LLP (HPG) in 1990 and became partner in 1997.  Prior to joining HPG, Brooks worked at McGladrey & Pullen, LLP, in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Brooks works with clients in a variety of industries including information technology, medical device, life science and biotechnology, construction and real estate, service companies and non-profit organizations.  Brooks' areas of concentration include financial reporting, business consulting and financial planning.

Brooks also co-leads the knowledge-based industries (KBI) practice team that serves high-growth and investor-backed technology companies and their founders and executives including information technology (software, SaaS, hardware, and related industries) medical devices, and life science (pharmaceutical, specialty pharmaceutical, CRO, and related industries).

Hughes Pittman & Gupton, LLP is one of the Triangle's largest locally owned and managed CPA firms - delivering value through local, national and international resources.  Our team-based culture, embodied by REACH, enables us to develop strong, successful client relationships through the retention of talented, experienced, entrepreneurial professionals.