Date: June 5, 2007
Contact: Kelly Griffith, Marketing Manager
Phone: (612) 492-7514
Email: kgriffith@fredlaw.com

For Immediate Release

Former Medtronic VP Michael Ellwein Joins Fredrikson & Byron’s Medical Technology Group

Minneapolis, MN June 5, 2007 – – Michael D. Ellwein, former Vice President and Chief Development Officer at Medtronic, Inc., has joined Fredrikson & Byron in the firm’s new Medical Technology Group. At Fredrikson, Ellwein leverages his knowledge of the medical technology industry to assist with venture financing, mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, strategic alliances and licensing prospects.

Positions held during his 17-year tenure at Medtronic include Vice President and Chief Development Officer, Vice President of Corporate Development, Associate General Counsel, and Assistant General Counsel. While at Medtronic, Ellwein established strong connections in the venture capital market and provided guidance to assist in the growth of the company by acquisition from a pacing company to the largest medical technology company in the world.

Ellwein has served on boards for several medical technology organizations throughout his career and continues to be actively involved with the industry. Currently, Ellwein has been nominated to serve on the board of publicly-held Northstar Neuro, and is an advisory board member for the Cleveland Clinic, a multi-specialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. In addition to his role at Fredrikson, Ellwein is a venture partner with Three Arch Partners in Portola Valley, California, and in that capacity, is a board member of the New Hampshire-based SmoothShapes, an FDA-cleared, noninvasive laser-based system for improving the appearance of cellulite.  

John Koneck, president of Fredrikson & Byron, commented: “We are pleased to have Mike join our Medical Technology Group. His extensive knowledge and connections in the med tech industry and thorough understanding of med tech client business needs at all stages of development enables us to strengthen the counsel and guidance we provide to our clients.”

Fredrikson’s Medical Technology Group offers a unique combination of capabilities. The group combines the deep talents of several members who have held high-level positions with medical technology companies in the areas of legal counsel and strategy, product liability, intellectual property, regulatory/FDA compliance, reimbursement, licensing and distribution, as well as investigations in the United States and globally, with a sizeable team of Fredrikson attorneys that have experience representing med-tech clients at all stages of development.

The firm represents more than 50 medical technology companies on investment and strategic decisions related to the industry, and has handled over $20 billion in transactions in the medical technology industry, including acquisitions and divestitures, investment, securities, joint ventures, and licensing transactions. Members of the practice group also support the needs of these clients with intellectual property-related services in the U.S. and foreign markets, including due diligence, regulatory matters including FDA law and policy, capital formation including venture financing, and legal disputes.

Fredrikson & Byron is a 200-plus attorney law firm based in Minneapolis, with offices in Iowa, London and Monterrey, Mexico. The firm's primary areas of practice include banking, corporate, employment, franchise, government relations, healthcare, intellectual property, international, litigation, real estate, securities, tax and renewable energy. We serve a broad range of clients, including multinational corporations, public companies, privately-held businesses, entrepreneurs, government agencies, and family businesses. Fredrikson & Byron's attorneys also work with individuals on estate planning, family law, and immigration matters. We are the exclusive Minnesota law firm member of the World Services Group, a worldwide network of professional service providers. More information about the firm is available at www.fredlaw.com.