McNair Law Firm is pleased to announce the addition of shareholder Lance Lawson to the firm's Charlotte office. Lance is a seasoned intellectual property (IP) litigator whose practice focuses on patent, trademark, trade secrets, and copyright litigation, as well as commercial disputes involving technology. Lance joins McNair from North Carolina IP firm Myers Bigel.

Lance has represented companies in more than 50 intellectual property disputes in federal courts in 20 states, and before the International Trade Commission and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. He also has extensive experience in counseling clients regarding intellectual property issues and protection, including strategic planning concerning patent and trademark procurement and portfolio management. He is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and is a licensed professional engineer.

"McNair's clients need attorneys who understand how science, technology, business and law must fit together for effective decision-making," said Managing Shareholder David Tigges. "Lance's arrival signifies our continued commitment to meeting those needs. We are thrilled to welcome him to the team."

Lance brings to the firm a wealth of leadership experience. He is a member of the Intellectual Property Law Section Council of the North Carolina Bar Association and current chair of the section's IP Legislation and IP Litigation Committees. He also served as chair of the committee that prepared the Local Patent Rules for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, and was recently selected to the Advisory Committee for Local Patent Rules for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. Prior to pursuing law, Lance served nine years on active duty as a civil engineer officer with the United States Army Corps of Engineers, including three years as chief of engineering and design in a construction unit, and one year commanding a construction unit in both Iraq and Saudi Arabia during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He also served for a number of years as a military JAG attorney in the U.S. Army Reserves providing legal counsel to commanders of several military organizations in the Southeast.

Lance graduated with honors from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a B.S. in civil engineering. He received an M.S. in environmental engineering from Stanford University and his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame, where he was an articles editor for the Notre Dame Law Review. He is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and a number of U.S. District Courts.