When L.A. Perkins, president-elect of South Palm Beach County Bar Association, first opened her boutique firm in Florida in 2013, she knew who she wanted on her team – her mentor since 2003, patent attorney Robert “Bob” Pershes. He had helped guide the focus of her career. It was only fitting that he help guide the business she was building. From their partnership, Perkins Pershes, PLLC was founded.
TEAM BUILDING
About 15 years ago, Pershes, a Shareholder at a South Florida law firm, needed an attorney to assist him in preparing for an emergency temporary injunction hearing on a pharmaceutical intellectual property case the following day- Christmas Eve – in Colorado. Perkins, intrigued by intellectual property, eagerly volunteered.
“I raised my hand and told him I could write the opposition brief, but I would need guidance since, at that time, I wasn’t familiar with the area of law,” Perkins said.
The two attorneys worked around the clock to prepare the materials, they flew to Colorado where they met an expert witness who they flew down from New York City and ended up winning the hearing. En route to the airport, they received the good news – the case was withdrawn by the filing party. Over those 36 hours of hard work, Pershes demonstrated a confidence in Perkins and her abilities to adapt quickly.
This spark flourished into a long-term professional mentorship.
“I’ve learned so much from Bob,” Perkins said. “Although it’s hard to pinpoint just one aspect in which he’s influenced me because his mentorship has been so essential to my practice, I am grateful that he’s taught me to think outside of the box.”
Today, Perkins is a board-certified circuit civil mediator with more than 20 years of experience in intellectual property, employment law, and business litigation.
She will also become the President of South Palm Beach County Bar Association next year and said, “I am formulating specific plans which I anticipate will include efforts to provide additional value to our members, increase our membership base, strengthen relationships with other bar associations, including minority bar associations, in South Florida through joint events, and community outreach projects.”
Pershes is a licensed professional engineer, board certified in intellectual property law and registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Additionally, he has provided patent infringement analysis, validity opinions and expert testimony.
MAKING IT OFFICIAL
Once Perkins launched her law firm in Boca Raton it didn’t take long for the two to decide to work together again. Their chemistry from the original case has grown into a well-balanced partnership. With Perkins’ attention to detail and Pershes’ extensive trial experience, the two bring a complementary skill set to the clients of Perkins Pershes, PLLC.
“It was always my intention to work with him again,” Perkins said. “I love working with Bob. We have successfully litigated intellectual property cases across the country together. We are a strong team.”
Pershes compliments his partner stating, “LA. is smart and creative. She is able to see the pluses and minuses of an issue quickly. Having worked with her for over fifteen years and having developed an understanding of each other’s view we can review issues and bounce ideas back and forth on how to proceed in a matter without inhibitions. It gives clients the best type of analysis.”
LOOKING AHEAD
With their focus on brand protection, it is only fitting that Perkins Pershes, PLLC has a mind to its own branding. The firm is in the midst of rehauling their website and branding to underscore their knowledge of intellectual property protection and enforcement.
One thing that won’t change is how “the office works closely with clients so that their legal needs can be met at a reasonable cost without surprises. Communication with clients is important and adjusted to the needs of the client so they can understand the process and the interim goals to get to the desired outcome,” Pershes explains.
This digital renovation goes hand-in-hand with their physical relocation to an office on Federal Highway in the heart of Boca Raton.
“Our firm motto is ‘scientia est potentia,’” Perkins said. “The Latin phrase translates to knowledge is power. This applies to the experience that both Bob and I have as lawyers, collectively we have over 65 years of experience, and it also applies to our ability to impart knowledge to our clients so that they are ‘in the know’ and can avoid pitfalls.”
