MEMBERS OF FIRM
Eugenio J. Torres-Oyola, Esq. (Partner) born San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1970; admitted to bar, 1998, Puerto Rico; U.S. District Court, District of Puerto Rico; U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit; registered to practice before U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Education: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (B.S., Environmental Engineering, 1993); University of Puerto Rico Law School (J.D., 1998); Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Entrepreneurship Development Program, 2009). Named, Federal District Court Electronic Case Filing Attorney Advisory Group. Adjunct Professor, Cyberspace Law and an International Patent Law and Practice Course, 2001-2008. Speaker, Intellectual Property, Technology and Internet Law events and seminars. McConnell Valdes (Associate, Corporate Law Department, 1998-2001; Member: Environmental Law Practice Group; Intellectual Property Law Practice Group; Founding Member, Internet and Patent Law Practice Group). Participant, Technology and Telecommunications Committee, "Mission 2025". Member, Advisory Board: Puerto Rico Commerce and Export Company; Puerto Rico Cyber Center. Consultant, Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico. Grader and Drafter, Puerto Rico Bar Exam, Supreme Court of Puerto Rico. Board of Directors, Luis Muñóz Marín Foundation and Internet Society of Puerto Rico. Member: Puerto Rico (Member, Intellectual Property Law Committee), American (Member, Intellectual Property Law Committee) and Federal (Member, Sections on: Intellectual Property; Communications Law) Bar Associations; American Intellectual Property Law Association; International Trademark Association; National Association of Patent Law Practitioners. Practice Areas: Patents(60%); Intellectual Property and Technology(20%); Entertainment Law(10%); Internet Law(10%).Email: Eugenio J. Torres-Oyola, Esq.
Fernando J. Rovira-Rullán, Esq. (Partner) born San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1972; admitted to bar, 1999, Puerto Rico; 2004, New York. Education: Villanova University (B.S., Finance, with honors, 1995); University of Puerto Rico School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1998); Columbia Law School, New York (LL.M., with honors, 2003). Mr. Rovira-Rullán is Chair of the firm's Corporate and Real Estate Department and member of its Executive Committee. He joined FTMR in 2004 after serving as Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel of a publicly traded financial holding company. Before that Mr. Rovira-Rullán worked as an associate in the Corporate Department of McConnell Valdés from 1998 until 2002, where he was one of the founding members of the firm's Internet and Patent Law Practice Group as well as a member of its Corporate and Public Finance Practice Group. Since 2001, he has served as adjunct professor at the University Of Puerto Rico School Of Law, where he has offered Internet Law, Business Organization and Mergers and Acquisitions. Member: New York State, Puerto Rico (Chairman, Intellectual Property Law Committee; Past Member, Corporate Law Committee) and American Bar Associations. Languages: English and Spanish. Practice Areas: General Corporate Law(15%); Business Organization(15%); Mergers and Acquisitions(15%); Real Estate(10%); Contracts(15%); Commercial Lending(5%); Intellectual Property(15%); Wills(3%); Trusts and Estates(2%); Tourism and Hospitality(5%).Email: Fernando J. Rovira-Rullán, Esq.
María Judith Marchand-Sánchez, Esq. (Member) admitted to bar, 1991, Puerto Rico; U.S. District Court, District of Puerto Rico; U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit. Education: Trinity College (B.S., Political Science, 1987); University of Puerto Rico Law School (J.D., 1990). Is a member of FTMR and Chair of its Labor and Employment Department. She graduated from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut in 1987 with a B.S. in Political Science and obtained her Juris Doctor from the University of Puerto Rico Law School in 1990. Mrs. Marchand is admitted to practice before the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. Prior to joining FTMR, Mrs. Marchand was an associate in Porro Vizcarra Law Office from May 1997 to July 2003, with López-Lay, Vizcarra & Porro from May 1996 to June 1997, and with the Law Offices of Andrés Nevares from October 1990 to June 1996. She has represented insurance companies (Reliance National Insurance, General Accident Insurance, and Federal Insurance) in general civil defense matters including labor and employment claims. She has been a speaker to various employers in Puerto Rico regarding sexual harassment in the workplace and other labor and employment matters. She has also represented successfully before the local and federal courts Plaintiffs and Defendants in a myriad of cases (contractual matters, personal injury, medical malpractice, discrimination, labor harassment, covenants not to compete, and unjust termination among others). Her practice also includes consulting and counseling in matters related to the management of human resources. Mrs. Marchand has also acquired expertise in matters related to franchise agreements. She is also a collaborator in one of Puerto Rico's daily circulation newspaper with a weekly column regarding diverse legal themes. Member: Federal Bar Association (Labor and Employment Law Section); Society for Human Resources Management; Association of Notary Publics. Languages: English & Spanish. Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Labor and Employment Law.Email: María Judith Marchand-Sánchez, Esq.
Laura Beléndez-Ferrero (Member) admitted to bar, 1999, Puerto Rico; 2000, U.S. District, District of Puerto Rico and U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit. Education: University of Puerto Rico (B.S., Information Systems, 1996); Inter-American Law School (J.D., magna cum laude, 1999); George Washington University School of Law (M.A., Intellectual Property, 2002). Before joining FTMR in October of 2005, Ms. Beléndez-Ferrero worked at the Federal Litigation Division of the Puerto Rico Department of Justice, Reichard & Escalera Law Firm and McConnell Valdés.
Ms. Beléndez-Ferrero has been involved in First and Fourteenth Amendment cases before the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, where she has attended civil jury trials. Ms. Beléndez-Ferrero has also participated in the active litigation of Law 75 cases. She also has lectured and consulted with advertising agencies regarding copyright and trademark infringement in the media.
Ms. Beléndez-Ferrero obtained a Bachelor in Computer Information Systems from the University of Puerto Rico in 1996 and a Juris Doctor degree, magna cum laude, from the Inter American University School of Law in 1999. Ms. Beléndez-Ferrero obtained a Law Masters Degree in Intellectual Property on May 2002 from the George Washington University School of Law. Her relevant course work during this time included, among others, Licensing Intellectual Property Rights, Cyberspace Law, Electronic Commerce Law and Antitrust Law. She has also participated in continued legal education programs, like the Annual Intellectual Property Law conference sponsored by the American Bar Association, Intellectual Property Section.
Ms. Beléndez-Ferrero is admitted to practice in the State of New York, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico and the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Member: New York State and Puerto Rico Bar Associations; International Trademark Association; American Intellectual Property Law Association. Reported Cases: Mercado-Alicea v. P.R. Tourism Co., 396 F.3d 46 (1st Cir. 2005); TMTV. Corp. v. Mass Productions, Inc., 345 F. Supp. 2d 196 (D.C. Puerto Rico 2004). Practice Areas: Intellectual Property; Constitutional and Distribution Litigation; Labor; General Civil and Commercial Litigation.
Juan R. Rivera-Font (Member) admitted to bar, 2002, Puerto Rico. Education: University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Business (B.S., Entrepreneurial Management); Inter-American University (J.D., cum laude). Before joining FTMR, Mr. Rivera-Font managed a successful private practice concentrating in litigation of a diverse range of matters including commercial transactions, employment law, construction disputes (AIA contracts), estates, false advertising claims under the Department of Consumer Affairs, and D&O's Liability. Given his reputation for steadfast commitment to his clients, he has provided legal services to firms such as Pietrantoni Méndez & Alvarez, LLP and Goldman Antonetti & Córdova, PSC. Mr. Rivera-Font also worked as a Senior Associate at Goldman Antonetti & Córdova's Labor Department; as an Associate at Mignucci & Pérez-Giusti, P.S.C.; and as a Law Clerk at the Court of Appeals of Puerto Rico.
Mr. Rivera-Font is admitted to practice before the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. Mr. Rivera-Font has litigated intensively in state courts throughout the island on behalf of big-cap corporations, and has also conducted extensive research for federal court cases on important statutes such as the Sherman Act, American with Disabilities Act, and the Federal Arbitration Act.
Mr. Rivera-Font obtained a BS in Entrepreneurial Management from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. He graduated Cum Laude from the Inter-American University where he obtained his JD, and was admitted into the National Dean's List. Mr. Rivera-Font also conducted advanced studies in International Law at the prestigious Instituto Universitario Ortega y Gasset in Madrid. Member: Puerto Rico Bar and the Federal Bar Associations.
SENIOR ASSOCIATES
Cristina Arenas-Solis, Esq. (Senior Associate) admitted to bar, 2006, Puerto Rico and U.S. District Court, District of Puerto Rico. Education: University of Puerto Rico (B.B.A., Accounting, 2001); University of Puerto Rico School of Law (J.D., 2005). She obtained a BBA in Accounting from the University of Puerto Rico (2001) and obtained her juris doctor from the University of Puerto Rico School of Law (2005). Prior to joining FTMR, Ms. Arenas-Solís worked as an associate attorney at Reichard & Calaf, P.S.C. and as a law clerk in Reichard & Escalera. Ms. Arenas-Solís is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. Languages: Spanish, English, and French. Practice Areas: Intellectual Property(25%); Commercial Litigation(25%); Labor and Employment(50%).
José F. Rovira-Rullán (Senior Associate) admitted to bar, 2005, Puerto Rico. Education: University of Puerto Rico (B.S., Political Science, 2000); Inter-American University School of Law (J.D., 2004). Mr. Rovira joined FTMR as an Associate on January 2005, after working as a law clerk with the firm's predecessors since May 2001. Mr. Rovira obtained a BS in Political Science from the University of Puerto Rico (2000) and a JD from the Inter-American University School of Law (2004). He is admitted to practice before the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Prior to joining FTMR's predecessors, Mr. Rovira worked for the 13th Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico as special assistant to the Director of the Legislative Services Office, where he closely collaborated with the lawmakers and other executive personnel and was actively involved in the legislative process. Mr. Rovira was also appointed for four consecutive years to the Presidential Summer Internship Program at the Government Development Bank of Puerto Rico. Member: Puerto Rico Bar Association; Puerto Rico Notary Association. Practice Areas: Intellectual Property; Trusts and Estates; Contracts; Real Estate; Commercial Lending; Business Organization; General Corporate Law.
SPECIAL COUNSEL
Pedro Notario-Toll (Special Counsel) born 1969; admitted to bar, 2008, Florida; 2009, Puerto Rico. Education: University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Business (B.S., Accounting, with honors); Inter-American University School of Law (J.D., summa cum laude). He obtained a B.S. in Accounting with honors from the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Business, and a J.D., Summa Cum Laude, from the Inter-American University School of Law. Mr. Notario-Toll is admitted to practice before the State of Florida and is pending admission to practice before the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Mr. Notario is also a certified public accountant.
He joined FTMR law in 2008. Mr. Notario-Toll has been working as a tax advisor since 1991. Prior to joining FTMR, Mr. Notario-Toll has provided tax services to high net worth individuals and expatriates, privately owned partnerships and corporations, and fortune 500 companies as a Senior Tax Manager with Arthur Andersen LLP and as the head of his own tax consulting company.
Mr. Notario Toll was also a Special Advisor for Internal Revenue Matters to the Puerto Rico Secretary of the Treasury (1996), and the Treasurer of the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company (PRIDCO) (1997-98).Email: Pedro Notario-Toll