Former Rep. Nethercutt opens DC office for IP firm

Former Rep. George Nethercutt (R-Wa.) will open the Washington office for Lee & Hayes, a law firm specializing in intellectual property issues.

“The primary objective of our new office is to promote our clients’ intellectual property interests in the political, legislative and regulatory processes in Washington, D.C.,” said Lewis Lee, Lee & Hayes co-founder and partner, in a statement.

{mosads}The Washington State-based firm, which currently has filed no lobbying disclosure records, boasts Microsoft and Amazon as clients.

The Washington office will also feature Poh Chua, advisor to leaders of Global 500 company Zhejiang Geely Holding Group; Imhotep Durham, former patent examiner at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and Colin Barnitz, who leads the firm’s Austin, Texas, office.

Nethercutt was a member of the House for a decade, from 1995 to 2005, serving on the House Appropriations Committee and the House Science Committee. After losing a bid for the Senate, he began doing consulting work for U.S. and international corporations.

“Given the expansion of the tech sector along the Dulles Corridor, and our lawyers’ deep experience with IP and business matters and relationships with key policy makers, it made sense for the firm to serve these innovative companies through a local office,” Lee continued in an email.