Erin Forbes works closely with her clients to protect their intellectual property and innovations. Her experience encompasses a broad spectrum of medical and life sciences technologies, including small molecule and biologic drug products, biomedical devices, and surgical devices. She also has experience in other technologies ranging from hand tools to fabrics to elevator gates. She litigates all aspects of patent, trademark, and copyright disputes, from pre-suit investigation to trial and appeal.

Prior to law school, Erin worked for the Knight Cancer Institute at Oregon Health & Science University, where she coordinated clinical trials, led a team of research assistants, collaborated with clinicians on a genetic tumor registry studying DNA mutations in cancer patients, and paired patients with clinical trials using novel drugs. She also worked for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, where she was a laboratory assistant in the pharmacokinetics lab for the Pediatric AIDS Clinical Trials Group.  

Experience

• Well-versed in patent issues relating to small molecule and biologic drug products, with over five years of experience representing generic drug companies in Hatch-Waxman Act patent litigations, including acting as trial counsel, as well as counseling clients on issues relating to the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act (BPCIA).
• Navigating fact and expert discovery, including document review, drafting and responding to written discovery, drafting expert reports, and taking and defending fact and expert witness depositions.
• Drafting briefs and prepares for and participates in Markman, summary judgment and Daubert hearings.
• Advising a manufacturer of glucose-sensing products in several actions in federal courts concerning patents relating to glucose-sensing technologies.
• Representing a clothing manufacturer in litigation regarding design and utility patents covering high-performance textiles.
• Representing a residential elevator door company in a patent infringement litigation relating to accordion-style elevator gates, and defending that same company against false advertising and trademark infringement (including cybersquatting) counterclaims. 
• Counseling a manufacturer of hand tools on a trademark, trade dress, and copyright infringement matter.
• Represented a manufacturer of micro-surgical instruments in litigation over patents covering methods for performing retinal surgery.

Memberships

• Multnomah Bar Association, Member
• Oregon State Bar, Member
• Chicago Bar Association, Member (2013-2018)

Awards

• Best Lawyers in America Award: Ones to Watch, Intellectual Property Law (2021)

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