Renewable Energy
United States
14 August 2025
Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP specializes in patent infringement cases between competitors in the technology and biotechnology fields, typically litigating in district courts and before the PTAB. The team also demonstrates expertise in defending its clients against non-practising entities. The department is led by Chicago-based Sara Tonnies Horton, a first-chair technology patent litigator, and Krista Schwartz, who is located in San Francisco and is well-regarded for her trial and settlement success for technology patent disputes. The ‘strategically impressive’ Craig Martin, also based in Chicago, is highly experienced in IPR and appellate proceedings. In Washington DC, Aliza Carrano is lauded as ’an excellent source of knowledge’ in PTO and trial proceedings for various technologies, including electronics, software and medical devices.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Craig Martin and Sara Tonnies-Horton make a great litigation team. Astute and strategically impressive.'
- 'Aliza Carrano is an excellent source of knowledge and advocate for both PTO proceedings and in litigation. Aliza is proactive and extremely collaborative, and I trust her with very high exposure matters for the company.'
Key clients
- La Jolla
- Netflix
- Synopsys
- LG Electronics
- Lupin Limited
- Danieli Corporation
- Provisur Technologies
- Illinois Tool Works, Inc.
- Acco Brands Corporation
- Univar USA, Inc.
Work highlights
Representing Provisur Technologies, a global provider of high-performance food processing equipment, in patent litigation with its primary competitor, Weber, Inc., in a high-stakes worldwide patent infringement dispute litigation in both the United States and in Germany, and in 12 inter partes review petitions filed in response to the district court litigation.
Representing Synopsys, Inc., the world’s foremost provider of electronic design automation software, in multiple cases, including a competitor patent infringement case, a competitor breach of contract case, and a declaratory judgment action Synopsys brought in response to a patent litigation campaign NPE Bell Semiconductor brought against the semiconductor industry.
Secured a complete victory for Netflix, Inc. invalidating US Patent Nos. 7,233,790 and 7,440,559 owned by VideoLabs, Inc. at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.
Practice head
Sara Tonnies Horton; Krista Schwartz
Other key lawyers
Craig Martin; Aliza Carrano