Heidi S. Martinez, Partner

Practice Focus & Experience

Ms. Martinez has more than 17 years experience representing corporations and academic institutions, both in private practice and as in-house counsel. Ms. Martinez currently represents clients in both federal and state courts in a variety of commercial and intellectual property litigation matters, including breach of contract claims, misappropriation of trade secrets, licensing disputes and enforcement of restrictive covenants. She also represents clients in ERISA benefits litigation and defends medical malpractice claims.

Before joining the firm, Ms. Martinez was Director, Patent Litigation at Eastman Kodak Company and, prior to that, was lead counsel for the company’s Digital & Applied Imaging and Image Sensor Solutions business units. As Director, Patent Litigation, Ms. Martinez was responsible for providing strategic oversight and management of multi-patent intellectual property disputes, negotiation and drafting patent licenses, and counseling clients regarding intellectual property and antitrust issues associated with standards organization participation. As lead counsel for the Digital & Applied Imaging and Image Sensor Solutions business units, she negotiated and drafted business agreements, including software development and distribution agreements, software end user licenses, marketing agreements, and product loan and testing agreements. She also counseled clients on a broad spectrum of legal topics, including antitrust, product safety and product warranty issues. Ms. Martinez also managed a variety of litigation matters on behalf of the company in areas such as software and copyrights, distributor relationships, securities, transportation, toxic exposure and personal injury.

Before joining Kodak, Ms. Martinez worked in the University of Rochester Medical Center’s Office of Counsel, managing its medical malpractice insurance program and counseling the University on New York State health care regulatory issues. Ms. Martinez also practiced with the firms of Kirkland & Ellis (New York, New York) and Hallenbeck, Lascell, Norris & Zorn (Rochester, New York), where she appeared in state and federal courts in a variety of commercial, labor and employment, and personal injury disputes. Ms. Martinez began her legal career as a law clerk to the Honorable Michael A. Telesca, then Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of New York.

Education

• Boston College Law School, J.D., summa cum laude, 1990
  - Note Editor, Boston College Law Review
• University of Rochester, B.A., cum laude, 1986

Bar Admissions

• New York, 1991
• Massachusetts, 1991

Court Admissions

• U.S. District Courts of New York (All Districts)

Professional Activities & Memberships

• American Intellectual Property Law Association
• Licensing Executives Society of North America
• New York State Bar Association
• Monroe County Bar Association
• Greater Rochester Association of Women Attorneys