Meet The Firm
The firm’s predecessor law firm Magleby P.C., was formed in 2005 as a business litigation boutique, to provide high-end trial and trial preparation services in business disputes, with greater flexibility and lower cost than large, institutional law firms. Growing from three to ten lawyers in ten years, the firm grew into one of Utah’s premier litigation boutiques and garnered numerous accolades, including being named “Top Lawyers” by Utah Legal Elite and being recognized by Best Lawyers.
Already specializing in intellectual property disputes as part of the commercial litigation practice, the addition of a full-service intellectual property group in December 2015 was a natural evolution. The new firm, Magleby Cataxinos, has the depth to handle any size dispute, the expertise to pursue and protect all types of intellectual property, and the responsiveness and dedication to do so efficiently and in a cost-effective manner.
Understanding The Client
Magleby Cataxinos believes that legal representation is about the client, and not about the lawyer.
Based on this philosophy, the firm’s emphasis for both patent and intellectual prosecution and litigation is the same — before a patent or intellectual property right can be pursued, enforced or challenged, or a case filed or defenses raised — it is critical for the attorneys to understand the client’s business and the goals of the representation.
Accordingly, if efficient and applicable, new matters begin with a foundation discussion about the client’s market, the client’s position and goals, the client’s business philosophy, and — of course — the specific issue, problem or dispute that must be resolved.
Staffing
The firm believes that consistency is important, and where possible assigns a team of lawyers and professionals to handle the client’s matters for years, with some of our client relationships spanning more than a decade with the same lawyers. Client matters are staffed only with lawyers and other professionals who will add value, and be responsive to the client.
Simply put, we are big enough to handle any matter, but too busy to over-staff a case or project, and we don’t have time for busywork.
Smart Beats Big
The firm’s sometimes motto, “Smart Beats Big,” is self-explanatory. However, by way of background, the firm’s lawyers have prior experience working for and against all sizes of law firms. Magleby Cataxinos has designed its business model to fit the niche in between large and mega-firms, and smaller boutiques.
We believe the firm is small enough to be extremely responsive to client needs, but large enough to handle large and complex litigation matters, which we have successfully done against larger opponents, bigger law firms, and more lawyers. At the end of the day, it is the results that matter, not the size of the law firm, the opposing client or the amount of money to fund litigation. We have found that even on very large cases, only a few lawyers (whether at a large or small firm) know what is going on, which is only done by actually working on the case. Indeed, only one lawyer can give an opening or closing statement, argue a patent appeal to the Federal Circuit, or advocate with the patent examiner, and it is hard work, dedication and intellectual rigor that is more important than size or money.
Thus, we have embraced “smart beats big” as a sometimes motto, although we think it falls a little short of capturing everything that goes into obtaining a patent or winning a case — in particular, it is not just being smart, but having a core team of lawyers who works harder.
The Decision To Litigate
Some litigation firms base the decision to accept litigation cases solely upon the probability of winning. Others will pursue a case at all cost, no matter what the odds, so long as the client is paying the bill.
At Magleby Cataxinos, the decision to litigate (or settle) is based on a broader variety of factors, including first and foremost the client’s business goals (which may trump litigation goals), the merits of the case, cost versus reward, an appropriate risk assessment, and the client’s well-informed decision. At the initial client meeting, or as soon as the necessary information becomes available, the firm’s attorneys evaluate the case and provide the client with candid advice regarding the validity of potential claims and the chance of success at trial. If the client elects to go forward with litigation, the attorneys commit themselves to the cause, welcoming the challenges presented by complex and difficult issues.