MARCH 2, 2026 – Merri Moken, a highly experienced trial litigator and trusted IP counsel to clients across multiple industries, has joined Davis Wright Tremaine LLP as a partner in New York.
Moken's broad-based practice includes patent, trademark, trade secret, and commercial disputes in a wide array of areas. She has successfully first-chaired multiple litigations and has appeared before state courts, federal district and appellate courts, as well as the U.S. International Trade Commission. Her many honors include being ranked among the World's Leading IP Strategists by IAM Strategy 300.
"Merri is an unusually versatile lawyer with an extraordinary range of expertise and a strong track record of service to highly sophisticated clients," said Alexandra Nicholson, chair of DWT's media, entertainment, patent, trademark, and advertising group. "Expanding our national leadership in IP litigation is a key strategic priority for DWT and Merri's arrival, together with the half-dozen other premier laterals we have added in recent months, significantly advances that goal."
"Merri's practice presents synergies with many of our most important industry groups, including technology and financial services," said Sharon Schneier, DWT's New York partner-in-charge. "She will strengthen our core practices while helping further develop the breadth of clients we serve."
"DWT has an exceptional array of strengths across industries and practices that are complementary to those I serve," said Moken. "The collaborative spirit with which the firm operates, together with the substantive excellence that its lawyers are known for, makes DWT a very exciting platform on which to further accelerate my practice."
Moken's work includes client counseling, due diligence, licensing, unfair competition, dispute resolution, opinion work, contract-related matters, and strategy for defining and achieving intellectual property and business goals. As a litigator, she represents both plaintiffs and defendants concerning patent infringement, validity, and enforceability, as well as trade secret misappropriation, trademark infringement, breach of contract, and other commercial claims. She has served as counsel in both domestic and foreign proceedings, including for internationally based clients. Her portfolio evaluations of M&A targets worldwide have encompassed all forms of intellectual property, particularly in the chemical, biologics, and medical device spaces.
Moken earned her A.B. in Chemistry from Princeton University and her J.D. from Boston University School of Law. Prior to her legal career, she gained practical work experience conducting research at several pharmaceutical companies, providing her with a real-world perspective and a significant understanding of underlying technologies.
Moken began her legal career, and rose to partner, at the former IP boutique Kenyon & Kenyon LLP, and was most recently a partner at Brown Rudnick LLP. She is admitted to practice in New York and Massachusetts. Moken's public service includes ongoing board of directors positions with the Metropolitan Opera, the Clarion Music Society (New York), and Opera Lafayette (Washington, D.C.).
The addition of Moken reflects the sustained bi-coastal expansion of DWT's nationally recognized IP and branding practices and follows the recent hiring of Maria Anderson (Seattle), Glenn Gundersen (New York), Gayle Denman (New York), Alexander Hadjis (Washington, D.C.), Batur Oktay (Seattle), Mauricio Uribe (Seattle), and Kristi Wolff (Washington, D.C.).
About Davis Wright Tremaine
Davis Wright Tremaine LLP is an AmLaw 100 law firm with more than 600 lawyers representing clients based throughout the United States and around the world. Learn more at dwt.com.