Sophie Anna Brooks Livingston joins the Corporate & Business team while Christopher T. Cognato expands the firm's Employment group reflecting RCCB's continued strategic expansion in high-impact practice areas
PHILADELPHIA, July 15, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Royer Cooper Cohen Braunfeld LLC (RCCB), a law firm offering a distinctive combination of practical business acumen, legal expertise and entrepreneurial passion, is pleased to announce the addition of Senior Counsel Manny D. Pokotilow and Partner Douglas Panzer to its Intellectual Property and Litigation practice groups. Both attorneys join RCCB from Caesar Rivise, PC where they garnered national recognition for complex litigation, prosecution, counseling, and portfolio management.
These attorneys are the latest in an esteemed group to be attracted to RCCB's entrepreneurial philosophy, culture and sophisticated level of work. Mr. Pokotilow's courtroom depth and Mr. Panzer's technical and transactional breadth offers RCCB clients advanced legal support, from patent enforcement and defense and IP licensing strategy to portfolio management and IP-focused transaction structures.
"We are proud to welcome Manny and Doug to RCCB," said Barry L. Cohen, Partner and Chair of the Litigation Group. "Their national reputations and proven courtroom abilities enhance our IP bench, and their visions align with our unique culture and commitment to providing thoughtful, business-driven legal counsel. Their arrival deepens our litigation, prosecution and transactional bench and allows us to offer even more comprehensive, end-to-end support for clients with complex business needs."
Manny D. Pokotilow is a respected figure in intellectual property law, with a career spanning more than 40 years. A seasoned trial attorney, Mr. Pokotilow has successfully argued precedent-setting cases in federal courts across the country, including Apple v. Franklin Computer, Donsco v. Casper, and Wawa, Inc. v. HaHa. His litigation work covers the full spectrum of intellectual property, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and computer software-related matters.
Beyond litigation, Mr. Pokotilow is a sought-after counselor on IP strategy and licensing and is a registered patent attorney with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Once dubbed, "The Oracle," by Super Lawyers, he has consistently been recognized by top industry publications, including Chambers USA, Best Lawyers in America, and World Trademark Review 1000, and has received accolades such as "Lawyer of the Year" in Intellectual Property Litigation in Philadelphia. He is also recognized as a Charter Senior Fellow by the Litigation Counsel of America.
"I've known RCCB and its people for many years, and I've always admired the firm's energy, collaborative spirit, and the caliber of its more than 70 attorneys," said Mr. Pokotilow. "Joining RCCB is exciting for me at this stage in my career as it provides me with a dynamic platform where I can work alongside a team that brings deep experience and business-minded thinking to every client relationship."
Mr. Panzer brings to RCCB a multidisciplinary IP practice that bridges litigation, portfolio management, counseling, and transactions. His litigation experience covers the full range of intellectual property, with past matters relating to IP in RFID systems, investment strategies, publishing, product designs, microprocessors, pharmaceuticals, and software. He is also a registered patent attorney who advises clients on the full life cycle of intellectual property assets, from invention and prosecution to commercialization and enforcement, and has a background in computer science and software development.
His practice includes guiding clients in trademark matters and managing domestic and global trademark portfolios and negotiating complex licensing deals. Recognized as a 2025 Pennsylvania Super Lawyer, Mr. Panzer is also a frequent speaker on emerging topics in intellectual property law, including data-driven portfolio strategies and the evolving challenges in protecting AI-generated inventions. He is recognized as a Fellow by the Litigation Counsel of America.
"RCCB offers the ideal environment to grow my practice, from prosecution and portfolio management to cutting-edge IP counseling and enforcement," said Mr. Panzer. "I've known some of these attorneys for many years and have been impressed by the growth of the firm driven by its entrepreneurial spirit and positive momentum. I look forward to working alongside a team recognized for its scope of work and expertise."
"When we launched our intellectual property/ trademark prosecution practice six years ago, we set out to build something exceptional, and today, we're recognized globally for the quality and impact of our work," said Donna Tobin, Partner at RCCB and Chair of the Intellectual Property Group. "Attracting premier attorneys, like Manny and Doug, reflects the strength of that vision and further accelerates the momentum we've built."
In addition to Mr. Pokotilow and Mr. Panzer joining the firm, Christopher T. Cognato has joined the Litigation and Employment practices as Counsel. Mr. Cognato advises public and private employers on a range of labor and employment issues and represents them in litigation and administrative proceedings. He also guides places of public accommodation through the evolving landscape of ADA compliance.
Sophie Anna Brooks Livingston joined RCCB as an Associate in the firm's Corporate & Business and Intellectual Property Groups. Before joining RCCB, Ms. Livingston served as Legal Counsel at FICO, where she advised on software licensing, compliance, and commercial contract matters.
About Royer Cooper Cohen Braunfeld LLC
RCCB empowers your ambition. We are attorneys who think and act like entrepreneurs and businesspeople. We combine sophisticated, cost-effective legal counseling with the type of sound practical judgment that comes from hands-on business experience. We encourage entrepreneurial approaches and creative thinking, while maintaining the utmost in integrity and responsiveness. RCCB understands and delivers the advice that companies, business executives and investors, as well as individuals and their families, need to realize their hopes and goals. Serving clients across the Greater Philadelphia area, New York, Nashville, and beyond, we offer a seamless, integrated legal network tailored to your needs over diverse industries. Additional information about Royer Cooper Cohen Braunfeld can be found at rccblaw.com.
Media Contact
Kevin Jurrens, Royer Cooper Cohen Braunfeld, LLC, 1 6093066418, [email protected], https://www.rccblaw.com/
SOURCE Royer Cooper Cohen Braunfeld, LLC
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