About

When Abbott’s pharmaceutical research business separated to become Abbvie in 2013, Anat Hakim moved from heading IP litigation, to leading one combined team covering all disputes. ‘That was a significant change,’ says Hakim. ‘We needed to finalize many matters at the same time that we were focusing on the transition and focusing on all the work we had ahead of us. I’m proud we’ve come a long way forward 20 months in’. In order to facilitate the integration, Hakim has followed a complete open-door policy, to build a more ‘cohesive environment’. ‘I encourage my team to have an ongoing narrative with me about the matters on which they are working on,’ Hakim explains. ‘The right answer is not based on hierarchy or seniority. I value a team that will challenge each other, and me, to get to the best answer and strategy rather than stay silent when they have a view that differs from mine.’ Hakim’s significant litigation success to date has included an appeal that reversed the largest patent verdict in US history. ‘Anat has built an exceptional winning record,’ says Mark Filip at Kirkland & Ellis LLP.