On July 22, 2020, Anaqua, the leading provider of innovation and intellectual property management solutions announced the launch of a new business unit that will address the diverse needs of today’s global law firms. As part of this expansion, Anaqua is making additional investments in its leadership and law firm platforms, AQX Law Firm and PATTSY WAVE. The move underscores Anaqua’s commitment to the law firm market as an essential part of the IP ecosystem and to the company’s strategy of organizing to meet the needs of this market.

Leading the business unit is Domenic Leo, who joins Anaqua as vice president & general manager, law firms. Leo will assume overall responsibility for Anaqua’s global law firm offering and will oversee the newly acquired IP management software and practice automation business, O P Solutions.

“With over 30 years’ experience in the IP management industry, Domenic will deepen Anaqua’s law firm DNA and focus on how we can better serve and deliver solutions that help the law firm community,” said Bob Romeo, chief executive officer of Anaqua. “We are thrilled to welcome Domenic to the team.”

“Anaqua listens to the market and has a reputation for delivering leading IP management solutions. That’s the culture at Anaqua and is one of the many reasons why I joined. I am very excited to lead a talented team of Anaqua staff, O P Solutions management, and recently hired industry experts. Together we will help drive the success of our law firm clients across the globe,” said Leo. 

Joining Leo and Anaqua’s existing law firm dedicated staff are recent hires Jayne Durden and Joe Bichanich, as well as Mike Frechtman and Ethan Waters, who both became part of Anaqua with the acquisition of O P Solutions.

Durden comes to Anaqua with extensive experience as both an IP practitioner and an IP management service provider. A trademark attorney and solicitor, Durden previously worked in large, as well as boutique law firms in Australia and the United States, including Ladas & Parry, Allens, and The Webb Law Firm. In her role, as vice president, law firm strategy, she will work closely with the Anaqua law firm client community to bring their needs to the forefront and will collaborate with the Anaqua product team to further translate those needs into IP platform enhancements.

Bichanich, a JD, joins Anaqua as client director, global law firms, with over 10 years of legal and technology program leadership. His most recent role was as director of information technology and practice support at Michael Best & Friedrich. At Anaqua, Bichanich will be responsible for developing and implementing creative strategies to enhance the long-term success of Anaqua’s clients. He will also be supporting IP practices in how to develop and apply Anaqua’s technology to transform their businesses.

“We are very excited that with the backing of our Board we are making a significant investment in people, technology, and products to better serve the law firm sector’s IP management needs,” Romeo said. “With the formation of this unit, and with this team in particular, we are strengthening our knowledge of the sector and our ability to understand and translate our law firm clients’ needs into effective market-leading solutions.”

Johnny Chan