Complex Patent Litigation
Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP has more than 700 attorneys across the United States and in Europe and has handled key strategic litigation for some of the world’s leading technology companies. The firm’s Intellectual Property & Technology (IP&T) Practice comprises more than 45 attorneys and professionals, including more than 35 registered patent attorneys, former patent examiners and trial court clerks with experience and capabilities in virtually all technical areas of intellectual property law.
A Premier Patent Litigation Team
Our attorneys are graduates of the nation’s top law schools, graduate schools and undergraduate universities, including the University of Chicago, Cornell, Harvard, George Washington, Georgetown, the University of Illinois, John Hopkins University, MIT, NYU, UCLA and the University of Texas. Several have served as law journal editors and as law clerks in relevant jurisdictions, and many have advanced technical degrees, including master’s degrees and Ph.D.s.
- More than 16 have degrees in electrical engineering, engineering physics and computer science
- More than 12 have degrees in biological sciences and chemistry
Extensive Complex Patent Litigation Experience
Sonnenschein’s patent litigation attorneys have participated in numerous complex patent trials and proceedings, many of which involve multiple patents and jurisdictions. These cases range from both offensive and defensive representation of large and small corporations, bet-the-company cases and cases that require quick and efficient resolution (e.g., defendants sued by a non-practicing entity requiring skillful litigation tactics to resolve a case quickly with limited or no exposure). Collectively, our attorneys have litigated nearly 200 patent cases in federal district courts across the country and before the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC).
In recent years, our attorneys have participated in well over 40 cases in federal district courts and more than 10 cases before the ITC. Our attorneys have litigated dozens of complex patent and related cases, and counseled or prosecuted patent applications in a wide range of high-technology industries, including:
- Automotive (Delphi and TRW Automotive)
- Biotech (Amgen, Multilyte, Sigma-Aldrich and Tercica/Genentech)
- Consumer Electronics (Creative Labs, Gemstar, MEI, Palm, Sony Computer, Sony Electronics and Texas Instruments)
- Financial Institutions (American Express, Citibank, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Tullet Prebon)
- Hardware/Networking (Blue Coat Systems, Cisco Systems, Extreme Networks and Sun Microsystems)
- Internet (Cacheflow, eBay, IAC and Yahoo!)
- LCD Panels and Controllers (AU Optronics, Hitachi and Thomson)
- Medical/Surgical Devices (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Fastenetix, GE Healthcare and McGaw)
- Optical Storage (Certance and MEI)
- Pharmaceuticals (Allergan, AstraZeneca, Syntex and Pfizer)
- Semiconductors (AMD, Applied Materials, Broadcom, Freescale Semiconductor, Intel, Lexar Media, Linear Technology, Micron, Motorola, QUALCOMM and Spansion)
- Software (Aspect Software, AuthentiDate, Blue Coat Systems, Oracle, Extreme Networks, Macrovision, Sun Microsystems and Trend Micro)
- Telecommunications (Embarq, Superconductor Technologies, Sprint, T-Mobile and Wireless Access)
International Experience
Sonnenschein’s patent litigation attorneys are well-versed and experienced in litigating cases involving entities that reside outside the United States. Our international know-how and experience allow our lawyers to present cases at trial, prepare cases for trial, and conduct discovery in the most effective and efficient manner possible. We are experienced at avoiding the many pitfalls that may arise during litigation involving multinational and non-U.S.-based companies.
Examples of jurisdictions in which our clients and their adversaries have resided include:
- Japan
- Taiwan
- The Netherlands
- China
- Germany
- Israel
- Korea
Speaking Engagements
Attorneys in Sonnenschein’s Intellectual Property & Technology Practice are frequently invited to speak and comment on hot intellectual property topics, including the following:
- Conducting the Effective Mock Trial: Preparing the Roadmap to Victory (or Settlement)
- How to Handle A Bet-Your-Company Patent Case
- Navigating the Minefield of ยง337 Actions
- Stuck with a Big Case in Arbitration, How to Win It
- How to Draft a Persuasive Markman Brief
Additionally, some of our attorneys regularly teach patent litigation at U.S. law schools, including Stanford Law School and Southern Methodist University School of Law.
Publications
In addition to speaking engagements, several Sonnenschein attorneys frequently write articles on current intellectual property topics, including the following:
- Attorney Opinions, Waiver, and Willfulness After Seagate: Clear as Crystal or Mud
- Breaking Down the Tape: How e-Discovery Affects the Business of Litigation
Recognitions and Press
Sonnenschein’s Patent Litigation and Intellectual Property & Technology Practices are nationally recognized. Lawyers from this group are regularly commended by clients, the media and professional organizations for their outstanding skill, service and dedication:
- Marc Friedman: The Best Lawyers in America; Chambers USA; New Jersey Super Lawyers
- James Klenk, IP&T Practice chair: Chambers USA, clients lauded Jim as “a great litigation strategist,” who “thinks outside the box.” A lawyer who is “very business minded and always keeps our objectives in mind”
- Natalie Spears: “40 Under 40,” The National Law Journal; “Illinois Super Lawyers,” Chicago magazine, an honor received by 5 percent of Illinois lawyers; Chambers USA; featured as “rising star” in Forbes Life Executive Woman magazine
Full-Service Firm-Wide Support
Sonnenschein has the technical expertise and knowledge and an outstanding record of accomplishment litigating complicated patent disputes effectively and efficiently. To ensure a comprehensive approach to issues that impact our clients’ intellectual property rights, we regularly draw on our firm’s experience in a dozen other major areas of practice, including Insurance, Health Care, Internet Communications & Data Protection, Life Sciences, Antitrust & Competition, Corporate and others. Together, these capabilities provide our clients with thorough, cost-effective representation in even the most complex and difficult matters.
