ATLANTA (April 11, 2019) – Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP (SGR) is pleased to announce that firm partner Matthew Warenzak has been named to UGA’s Innovation District External Advisory (IDEA) Board. The IDEA Board was formed to ensure that as the university’s future Innovation District is developed, the initiative incorporates input from the local business community and private sector.
As UGA’s campus of the future, the Innovation District will make the university a more powerful driver of economic development in Georgia due to its integrated facilities which will offer spaces and amenities designed to inspire collaboration, discovery, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The district will be a hub for university startups, research commercialization and experiential learning, and idea generation for new products and business ventures that benefit communities across the state. The district will also make it easier for industry partners to collaborate with UGA’s faculty and students to solve business problems and foster innovation.
The IDEA board is comprised of university alumni and supporters, industry partners and business leaders, and individuals with expertise critical to the success of the Innovation District initiative. The group held its first meeting on March 29 and will continue to meet over the next 18 months, focusing on industry and alumni engagement, district master planning, and innovation programming and support to enhance UGA’s Innovation District.
Mr. Warenzak is a partner in SGR’s Atlanta Intellectual Property (IP) Practice where he specializes in the enforcement and procurement of patents and handles various trademark, copyright, licensing, and due diligence issues on behalf of his clients. In addition to his full-time legal practice, Mr. Warenzak is an Adjunct Professor of patent law at UGA’s School of Law and serves as its representative for the Georgia Intellectual Property Alliance. He is also chair for the Community Outreach Committee of Georgia’s IP section of the State Bar of Georgia, and a member of the Atlanta IP Inn of Court. Mr. Warenzak is a member Leadership Buckhead’s 2018 Class, a member of the advisory board for Georgia PATENTS, and a board member for Dad’s Garage Theater.
About Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP
SGR is a full service, international law firm that advises regional, national and global businesses on a wide range of legal matters. The firm’s 250 attorneys provide legal counsel in more than 45 specialized practice areas, including corporate transactions, litigation, intellectual property, aviation, banking, real estate, construction, employment law, and employee benefits and executive compensation. Founded in 1893, SGR has offices in Atlanta, Austin, Jacksonville, London, Los Angeles, Miami, Munich, New York, Southampton, and Washington, D.C.