Intellectual Property

Our practice spans a broad range of clearance, prosecution, transactions, litigation and dispute resolution. Our intellectual-property clients are diverse in size and enterprise, ranging from Fortune 500 global corporations to local businesses and individuals. The roster includes high technology firms, industrial companies, consumer products companies, public agencies, hospitals and industry trade associations.

We strive to be responsive, efficient, and caring. Our primary goal is to make our clients’ lives easier. We work to understand each client's business and its unique challenges. And, we tailor our approach to each client's preferences for working with outside counsel.

We are proud to be ranked in the World Trademark Review. Click here to learn more.

Patent and Intellectual Property Litigation

We successfully advocate for our clients in a wide array of intellectual property matters including patent infringement cases involving complex fields of technology. Our attorneys have litigated and tried patent infringement matters in a broad range of complex technologies including semiconductor chips, materials, and fabrication processes; semiconductor power technologies (MOSFETs and IGBTs); FLASH and DRAM devices, microprocessor designs; computer connector devices; software methods; hardware and software security; fiber optic switches; optics and optoelectronics; optical character recognition; communications and telecommunications devices; motion detector devices; packaging equipment; motors; manufacturing systems; medical gas plasma sterilizers; electrical circuits; textile chemistry; oil exploration; transportation; electronic toys; cosmetics; consumer products; and fertilizers. Our patent litigation experience spans the leading patent litigation venues and our attorneys have represented clients in a wide variety of jurisdictions, including the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the United States District Courts for the Northern and Central Districts of California, the District of Delaware, the Northern District of Georgia, the Northern District of Illinois, the Western District of Oklahoma, the Eastern and Western Districts of Texas, the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia, and the International Trade Commission (ITC).

In addition to our patent litigation practice, our attorneys routinely represent our clients in disputes involving trademark, copyright and trade secrets; unfair competition; counterfeiting; false advertising; slander and rights of publicity and privacy. Because of this experience, we have had the opportunity to go before special courts, agencies and tribunals, including the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, and the World Intellectual Property Organization on numerous occasions.

Intellectual Property Rights

We advise our clients on clearing, procuring, maintaining, licensing, and enforcing their intellectual-property rights across the constantly shifting landscape of patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret laws. We handle all aspects of trademark and copyright registration. We manage international trademark portfolios of clients whose brands are their key assets and police those portfolios to prevent degradation of value. We have close relationships with specialty intellectual-property firms around the world to assist our clients with particular needs in foreign locales. In recent years, we have identified, investigated, and stopped hundreds upon hundreds of infringers in the United States and abroad.

Intellectual Property in Business Transactions

We review, counsel on, draft, and negotiate all types of transactions involving technology and intellectual property. Our technology transactions range from patent and other licensing deals to joint ventures, procurements and technology transfers. We also have abundant experience in computer software licensing and publishing contracts. And, we are skilled in managing intellectual property as an asset in business structuring, mergers, acquisitions and other dispositions.

Intellectual Property on the Internet

We frequently advise on the host of issues surrounding web sites. We draft web site notices, disclaimers, terms of use and privacy policies. We tailor these to the style of the web site and for the possible exposures flowing from the nature of the site. We also work with our clients regarding Internet domain name disputes.

Key Contacts

Robert McFarlane

Partner

San Francisco, CA

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