Taft, one of the fastest-growing law firms in the country, announced today the addition of a five-member team, led by partner Troy Groetken, to the Intellectual Property practice. This IP group adds a full complement of industry-trained attorneys and agents to Taft with advanced technical degrees and decades of experience in the pharmaceutical and life sciences sectors.

Alongside Groetken, the team includes senior counsel Jason Barron, counsel Robert Hoag, associate Christopher Tuinenga, and patent agent Gregory Howard. They are based across the firm’s Chicago, Minneapolis, and West Palm Beach offices.

Groetken brings more than 28 years of legal experience in the intellectual property field to Taft and more than 30 years of technical experience in the pharmaceutical, biotechnological, and chemical fields. A registered U.S. patent attorney, Groetken is known globally as a “go-to” intellectual property attorney for Fortune 100 and 500 clients, assisting them on complex intellectual property matters and strategic global patent portfolio development, implementation, positioning, and enforcement. He also advises clients regarding the acquisition, divestiture, and licensing of core and non-core intellectual property assets.

As an industry authority, Groetken is recognized in IAM’s Strategy 300: The World’s Leading IP Strategists, Patent 1000: The World’s Leading Patent Professionals, and has been listed as one of the Best Lawyers in America since 2012.

“Troy and his team are the perfect complement to our growing platform, where Taft becomes one of the top IP firms advising both brand and generic pharmaceutical companies throughout the Fortune 500,” said Jonathan Polak, chair of Taft’s IP practice. “This move also signals our commitment to the life sciences sector, more than doubling our non-ANDA practice.”

Beyond his practice, Groetken is a thought leader with respect to patent portfolio due diligence analyses, global portfolio coordination (e.g., coordination of complex U.S. reexamination or reissue proceedings with European, Asian, and Australian appeals, cancellation, nullity, and/or opposition proceedings), and advanced U.S. Patent Office procedural issues (e.g., strategic use of inter partes review and post-grant review practice).

“At Taft, we’re able to provide a comprehensive and complementary one-two punch for our clients, which is truly rare in the market,” said Groetken. “Being a ‘one-stop shop’ creates tremendous advantages and opportunities, and we’re excited to be part of a firm on such a tremendous trajectory.”

Following the completion of three mergers in 2025, Taft is one of the fastest-growing law firms in the nation with more than 1,250 attorneys in 25 offices and projected revenues exceeding $1 billion.

About the Team – Full Biographies

• Troy Groetken, Partner
• Jason Barron, Senior Counsel
• Robert Hoag, Counsel
• Christopher Tuinenga, Associate
• Gregory Howard, Patent Agent