Sean Belanga, Charles Cella and Paul Jean founded GTC Law Group in 2002 in response to client demand for a strategic approach to IP, M&A and other transactions that is more directly tied to clients' business plans and that can more fully leverage client innovation in an increasingly competitive landscape.  

Brent Bliven focuses on intellectual property strategy and transactional matters. He holds a B.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin, an M.S. in Epidemiology from Harvard University and a J.D. from Boston College Law School. Prior to attending law school, he was Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Missouri, where his research focused on cardiovascular disease and diabetes, including coordination of medical device trials and genetic blood-banking.

Sayoko Blodgett-Ford focuses on intellectual property strategy and transactions. In addition to her practice with GTC, Sayoko is a Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of Hawai'i William S. Richardson School of law, where she teaches US and International Intellectual Property law classes. Sayoko joined GTC after serving as the Senior Manager of the Intellectual Property Group at Nintendo of America Inc. in Redmond, Washington. At Nintendo, Sayoko had responsibility for domestic and international intellectual property clearance, defense, registration and enforcement. Her particular areas of focus included patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret and advertising, as well as privacy law compliance and video game ratings compliance. Sayoko also taught advertising law in a tutorial in the University of Washington IP LLM program. Prior to Nintendo, Sayoko practiced at Foley Hoag LLP and was a law clerk for Judge Douglas P. Woodlock, U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Sayoko holds a B.S. in Physics from the College of William and Mary, an M.S. in Physics from the University of Maryland, and a J.D. from Yale Law School.

Morten Boyd is a contracts specialist in GTC's Los Angeles affiliate office (formerly Lenard & Klotz LLP). He is a member of the firm's M&A and licensing practices and oversees the firm's due diligence function. Morten brings to GTC over 13 years of experience negotiating and documenting complex agreements, primarily in the media and entertainment industry. Since joining GTC, he has played a key role in over 30 M&A transactions, including more than two dozen software company acquisitions. Morten is fluent in Norwegian and is rumored to have his own airplane.

Charles Cella co-founded GTC and is a recognized thought leader and leading practitioner in the patent and licensing fields. He provides patent strategy, licensing and technology-transaction services to a broad range of clients, from industry leading software companies to single-inventor startups. Prior to GTC, Charles founded and was CEO of BountyQuest, an Internet marketplace for information relevant to the strength, validity or applicability of patents and for which he recruited investments from Jeff Bezos and Tim O'Reilly, among others. Previously, Charles was the first patent attorney at Foley Hoag LLP, where he grew the practice to twenty-five people and advised high-tech and biotech firms of all sizes on building IP portfolios and negotiating technology transactions. Charles holds a A.B. in Physics from Princeton University and a J.D. from the University of Virginia's School of Law. 

Anthony Decicco specializes in technology and licensing transactions, intellectual property strategy and general corporate matters. Prior to joining GTC, Tony was a member of the IP & Technology, Internet & E-Commerce and M&A practice groups at Skadden, Arps, where he advised clients ranging from Fortune 100 companies to start-ups. Tony holds an Honors B.Sc. in Biochemistry from McMaster University, an M.A. in Economics and a J.D., both from the University of Toronto. He has research experience in a diverse range of fields, including patent valuation, law and economics, molecular evolution, apoptosis and lipid biochemistry.

Michael Gould specializes in corporate and general business transactions. He has been involved in a broad variety of financings and mergers and acquisitions, including private debt and equity financings, leveraged recapitalizations, joint ventures and both small and large stock and asset acquisitions. He also has represented corporate borrowers and lenders in various loan and other credit transactions. Prior to GTC, Mike was a partner at Rosenfeld, Wolf & Klein in Century City, California. Previously he was a member of the corporate department at Sidley Austin Brown & Wood LLP in Los Angeles. Mike holds a B.A. from the University of Colorado and a J.D. from the University of Southern California School of Law.

Thomas Hemnes is one of Boston's most prominent intellectual property attorneys and an internationally recognized expert on intellectual property law. His diverse practice serves the telecommunications and banking industries, universities, cultural institutions, small-cap technology companies, individual inventors, architects, and authors. Tom has exceptional experience in the formation and organization of technology and industry consortia, cross-border sourcing and outsourcing arrangements, commercial transactions involving intellectual property, and the creation of comprehensive intellectual property strategies for clients large and small. Before joining GTC, he was a partner at Foley Hoag, LLP, where with Charles Cella he founded the firm's highly-regarded intellectual property practice group and thereafter chaired the group until joining GTC. A prolific lecturer and author on intellectual property law, Tom taught intellectual property for many years as an Adjunct Professor at Northeastern University School of law and Boston College Law School. Tom holds a B.A. in Philosophy from Harvard College and a J.D. from Harvard Law School, where he was Articles Editor of the Harvard Law Review.

Stacey Irizarry is a Technology Consultant and registered patent agent focusing on life sciences patent issues and related business concerns, including investor-side due diligence, M&A due diligence and patent evaluation. Before joining GTC, Stacey was a science advisor in the IP litigation practice at Goodwin Procter LLP. Previously, Stacey was a post-doctoral fellow at Yale University where her research focused on the single-channel kinetics and pharmacology of potassium channels and glutamate receptors. She holds a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from Yale University and a B.A. in Chemistry from Princeton University.

Paul Jean co-founded and manages GTC. He focuses on technology transactions, IP due diligence and operational matters for established software and services clients as well as for startups. Prior to GTC, Paul was a member of the Corporate and M&A practice groups at Skadden, Arps, where he advised leading technology companies on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, licensing transactions, joint ventures and securities matters. He previously practiced securities litigation, also at Skadden, Arps, and clerked for Justice Sherman Horton at the New Hampshire Supreme Court. Paul is a member of the Board of Advisors of Massachusetts Appleseed. He holds a B.A. in History from the University of Massachusetts and a J.D. from American University.

Adam Klotz heads the firm's Los Angeles affiliate office (formerly Lenard & Klotz LLP) and specializes in business transactions, with a particular focus on mergers and acquisitions, venture capital and private equity financings and the structuring, formation and financing of complex joint ventures, partnerships and limited liability companies. He has extensive experience handling these and other types of complex transactions for entertainment and technology clients. Previously, Adam practiced at Riordan & McKinzie (now Bingham McCutcheon LLP) and Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP. Adam holds a B.A. in English Literature from Columbia College in the City of New York and a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law.

Jennifer Heisler Lavalley leads the firm's trademark practice. Prior to joining GTC as Trademark Counsel, she served as Senior Corporate Counsel to Polaroid Corporation, where she was responsible for all aspects of Polaroid's worldwide trademark and domain name portfolio, including developing trademark strategies, selecting, clearing, prosecuting and maintaining trademarks, and drafting and negotiating trademark and trade name license agreements. Jennifer also has extensive experience assessing data protection, privacy and e-commerce issues and reviewing advertising and packaging. Prior to joining Polaroid, Jennifer established the trademark department at Designs, Inc. She is the author of Trademarks: Brand Clearance and Protection, an article that was reprinted on the Harvard Business School Intellectual Property course website. Jennifer holds a B.A. from the University of Connecticut and a J.D. from Suffolk University Law School.

Rob Mazzarese specializes in patent strategy. Prior to affiliating with GTC, Rob was a member of the Intellectual Property & Rights Management and Corporate practice groups at Ropes & Gray where he focused on the firm's electrical engineering clients. Rob holds B.A., B.E. and M.S. degrees from Dartmouth College and a J.D. from Boston University. Rob is also the founder of Strategic Patents, P.C. through which he provides patent prosecution services to many GTC clients.

John Monocello is a patent strategy and execution specialist and an entrepreneur and inventor with substantial industry experience. Prior to joining GTC, John was in-house counsel at BodyMedia, Inc. where he established BodyMedia's legal department. There he managed and performed legal work related to all aspects of BodyMedia's intellectual property activities, including drafting and filing patent applications, managing prosecution and drafting and negotiating license agreements. John also managed corporate and operations matters, including vendor, distribution and strategic alliance agreements. Prior to BodyMedia, he was in private practice. John holds a B.S. in Biology from Pennsylvania State University and a J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

Ed Nortrup is a patent strategy and execution specialist with a broad range of industry experience. A prolific inventor, with 72 patents issued in his name worldwide, he has served in key legal and engineering positions ranging from director of a research and development group to in-house IP Counsel and, most recently, General Counsel. Ed focuses on patent strategy, application drafting, prosecution and licensing, and has written and prosecuted patent applications in a wide range of technologies including software, hardware, optics, electronics, business methods and uses. Ed holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Northeastern University, an M.S. in Manufacturing Management from the University of Massachusetts, and a J.D. from Massachusetts School of Law.

Gina Perini advises clients in global intellectual property protection, strategic M&A and commercial transactions and general corporate matters, specializing in the technology, telecommunications, life science, media and publishing industries. She has extensive experience in cross-border sourcing and outsourcing transactions, data protection and compliance, technology and licensing transactions, and a wide range of copyright and trademark matters. Prior to joining GTC, Gina was an associate in the IP and Business practice groups at Foley Hoag LLP. Gina holds a B.A. from William Smith College and a J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law.

Lisa Trainor concentrates in the areas of domestic and international acquisitions and divestitures, federal securities law compliance and general corporate matters for public and private companies. She provides strategic advice on corporate planning, technology protection, employment agreements and executive compensation, debt and equity financing, copyright and trademark matters, strategic alliances and joint ventures and commercial contracts. She also represents both investors and companies in connection with private placements. Prior to GTC, Lisa was a partner in Keegan, Werlin & Pabian. Previously, she was a member of the Corporate and M&A practice groups at Skadden, Arps. Lisa holds a B.A. in Political Science from George Washington University and a J.D. from the University of Connecticut's School of Law.  

Sharon Webb focuses on business-related patent issues in the life sciences, including investor-side due diligence, M&A due diligence, and patent evaluation and counseling in industries ranging from medical devices to biotechnology to pharmaceuticals. She works with a broad spectrum of clients, including venture capitalists and institutional investors, large-cap and small-cap companies, universities and start-ups. Her clients' technologies have included drugs, devices and diagnostics for applications such as cardiology, neurology, urology, orthopedics, vascular surgery, oncology, hematology, infectious diseases and transplant surgery. Before joining GTC, Sharon was a partner in the Life Sciences practice at Goodwin Procter LLP. Previously, she was a member of the intellectual property practice group at Foley Hoag, LLP. Prior to becoming a patent attorney, Sharon was a practicing surgeon, specializing in reconstructive surgery as part of an interdisciplinary breast cancer team. Her postgraduate surgical training included residencies, fellowships and research experience at Massachusetts General Hospital and the University of Pennsylvania. She has held faculty positions in surgery at Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania and Tufts University, with extensive publication in reconstructive surgery and related fields. Sharon holds a B.A. from the University of Virginia, an M.D. degree from Duke University, a Ph.D. from Yale University, and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.  

Michael Webber specializes in corporate transactions and the representation of technology companies and investors, with a particular emphasis on venture capital financings. Mike has extensive experience in domestic and cross-border corporate transactions such as acquisitions and financings, as well as in the representation of technology companies in day to day matters. Prior to joining GTC, Mike practiced in the corporate and venture capital groups of Foley Hoag LLP. He holds a B.A. from the University of Massachusetts and a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he was an editor of the Virginia Law Review. Mike is fluent in German.

Donna Weinstein specializes in trademark law and has extensive experience in the prosecution of trademark registrations, the searching and clearance of trademarks and the maintenance of multinational trademark portfolios. Prior to joining GTC, she was General Counsel with Foley Hoag LLP and a Principal at Fish & Richardson PC, where she co-chaired the Trademark Department. Donna holds a B.A. in English Literature from Simmons College and a J.D. from Suffolk University Law School.

Our Virtual Team
In addition to our core team, we have close working relationships with a select group of attorneys and technology specialists, ranging from specialized professionals to patent prosecution boutiques and large law firms. The depth and breadth of our network means that we can respond to our clients' special legal needs as they occur, without sacrificing our in-depth involvement with ongoing projects.