Praised by clients as having ‘the deepest bench in patent trial attorneys,’ Morrison Foerster has a global tech-focused intellectual property litigation practice capable of representing clients in disputes at all levels of US courts. In January 2023, the firm joined forces with the California litigation boutique Durie Tangri LLP, bringing on San Francisco based trial lawyer Daralyn Durie, who acts on the behalf of inventors in the tech and life sciences sectors. In San Francisco, Michael Jacobs is a patent litigation expert, Richard Hung is an ‘exceptionally responsive, helpful, and strategic partner’ who handles patent and trade secret cases, and practice co-head Timothy Chen Saulsbury represents clients in a wide range of tech-related disputes. Co-head Bita Rahebi in Los Angeles is a trusted contact for tech companies in complex patent disputes, and co-head Mark Whitaker in Washington DC is well-regarded for his experience in high-stakes litigation. In Austin, co-head Brian Nash is praised for being ‘the attorney you want at your side’ in the Western District of Texas, and Aaron Fountain is another name to note.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Morrison & Foerster has by far the deepest bench in patent trial attorneys. Arturo Gonzalez, Michael Jacobs, and Daralyn Durie are the top trial attorneys in the country for intellectual property matters. Arturo is not only superb in front of a jury, but his strategic insights are also critical in guiding a case in the early phase of a litigation. When it comes to patent litigation, Michael Jacobs has done it all. Daralyn is highly effective in getting her points across to both judges and juries. ’
‘Richard Hung understands that patent litigation is a means to an end. He can help clients develop strategic and creative solutions to achieve their business objectives. He is well-versed in litigating patents across the various district courts in the U.S. and he is also experienced in leading global enforcement efforts.
‘Richard Hung is an exceptionally responsive, helpful, and strategic partner.’
- 'If you are neck-deep in the Western District of Texas, Brian Nash is the attorney you want at your side to guide you through the opportunities and pitfalls. ’
Key clients
- ARM Ltd.
- Atlassian
- Autodesk
- Avadel
- Celanese
- Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.
- Clorox
- Coterra Energy Inc.
- Dell Inc.
- Intel Corporation
Work highlights
- Represented ARM Ltd. in a case against NuVia and Qualcomm involving a patent licensing dispute, trademark, and breach of contract claims.
- Represented VMware in ongoing, high-profile patent litigation involving virtual system optimization software filed by Cirba Inc. and Cirba IP.
- Represented Innovyze in a multi-patent litigation filed by TaKaDu.
Lawyers
Hall of fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Daralyn Durie
Practice head
Bita Rahebi; Mark Whitaker; Brian Nash; Timothy Chen Saulsbury
Other key lawyers
Daralyn Durie; Michael Jacobs; Richard Hung; Aaron Fountain; Arturo Gonzalez