Dykema law firm in Minneapolis adds 2 intellectual property attorneys

The Dykema law office in Minneapolis has recently added attorneys Robert C. Freed and Conrad A. Hansen to bolster the firm's intellectual property practices, the law firm announced Monday.

With the move, the Minneapolis law firm of Moore & Hansen that Freed and Hansen had led will effectively shut its doors. Moore & Hansen, which was first established more than 130 years ago as the Williamson Law Firm, was Minnesota's first patent, trademark and copyright law firm.

"This is a natural next step for Moore & Hansen as our clients and their legal needs have continued to evolve along with those of the region's predominant industries and technologies," Freed said, in a statement. "Dykema's national platform will allow us to expand our services to clients."

Dykema serves primarily clients in the medical device, high-technology, financial services and energy industries.

"We are thrilled that Bob and Conrad have decided to join Dykema," said Reed Heimbecher, office managing member of the firm's Minneapolis office, in a statement. "Adding these accomplished IP attorneys to our ranks deepens our firmwide bench and enriches our ability to provide IP counsel to all of our clients."

Dykema's Minneapolis office opened in 2013. In an interview with the Star Tribune earlier this year, Heimbecher discussed how he wanted to eventually expand the local office's scope outside of intellectual property. Heimbecher is the leader of Dykema's intellectual property transactional practice group.

With the addition of Freed and Hansen, Dykema's local attorney count has risen to 14.

While a spokeswoman for Dykema clarified that the Moore & Hansen firm will not technically merge with Dykema, the transition follows a growing local and national trend of law firm consolidation.

Nicole Norfleet • 612-673-4495 Twitter: @nicolenorfleet