Independent Arbitrator, Mediator, Consultant (2007 – Present)
Merriann Panarella’s mediation experience, as counsel and mediator, includes intellectual property, commercial, licensing and technology agreements, real estate, environmental, tort, deceptive trade claims and landlord-tenant matters.
An example of Ms. Panarella’s arbitration management style is her handling of a multi-million dollar dispute over the development of a medical device. She held a preliminary conference and issued a Preliminary Hearing and Scheduling Order within two weeks of appointment, presided over numerous hearings regarding discovery disputes, conducted a five-day hearing within four months of appointment and issued a timely award thereafter. Her arbitration experience includes medical device, licensing, pharmaceutical development, securities fraud, hospital accounting, and legal fee disputes.
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, Senior Partner (1980 – 2007)
Ms. Panarella joined Hale and Dorr (now WilmerHale), as an associate and was elevated to partnership in the litigation department where she represented both plaintiffs and defendants in a wide variety of commercial, and intellectual property matters. She has experience in all aspects of complex litigation including at the pretrial, trial, and appellate levels, and in Markman hearings in patent cases. Ms. Panarella has been lead trial counsel and has managed trial teams including lawyers, scientists, experts, paralegals and technical support personnel. In resolving disputes for clients, she has negotiated and drafted complex settlement, licensing, and confidentiality agreements.
Litigation experience includes:
|
|
Experience in diverse industries:
Telecommunications, medical devices, life sciences, pharmaceuticals, software, oil and gas, plastics, health care, sporting goods, and various methods of manufacture (laser, ink jet, plastics, and thermistor technologies). Domestic and foreign clients have included large New York Stock Exchange listed companies as well as small venture backed start-ups and individuals.
Representational list of litigation clients:
| Global manufacturer of high performance analogue semiconductors for use in mobile phones in a multi-million dollar dispute involving 12 patent and related trade secrets |
| Worldwide provider of innovative medical devices in a multi-million dollar dispute involving five patents related to medical devices |
| Medical device manufacturer located in the United Kingdom in a dispute involving multiple patents directed to vascular foot pumps |
| National manufacturer of open programmable switches in a technology development dispute over the miniaturization of proprietary switching technology |
| Leading manufacturer of temperature control devices in a trade secret dispute over thermistor manufacturing |
| Canadian telecommunications company in an antitrust matter |
| Global oil and gas refining and marketing company in multiple cases involving environmental issues, product liability claims, antitrust issues and contractual claims |
The Honorable W. Arthur Garrity, Jr. (1979-1980), U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts, Law Clerk
As a law clerk to Judge Garrity, Ms. Panarella conducted research, drafted opinions and bench memos and otherwise collaborated with the Judge on various pending matters.
