Dispute resolution
WilmerHale maintains its reputation as an ‘exceptional firm for high stakes patent litigation’, with clients praising their ’sophisticated, winning strategies’. The team excel at complex medical technology and high-technology patent trials, maintaining relationships with notable clients, including Comcast Cable Communications, Google, and T-Mobile. Leading the practice are four specialists. Amy Wigmore, based in Washington DC, and Emily Whelan, based in Boston, both specialize in high-stakes litigation within the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. They are joined by Mark Selwyn, a leading attorney for both high-profile and emerging technology companies and Joseph Haag, both of whom are based out of Palo Alto. The team is further bolstered by William Lee, from Boston, renowned for his seasoned experience as lead counsel in high-stakes technology disputes. Elsewhere, Brittany Amadi, from Washington DC, and Joseph Mueller, based in Boston, stand out for their leading work on patent litigation matters at the trial and appellate stages. First-chair trial attorney Sonal Mehta is another key practitioner from Palo Alto representing notable technology companies on high-stakes disputes. Additionally, Boston’s Omar Khan extends the team’s offering with his expertise in life sciences cases.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Mentions
Profile
Work Department
Commercial Litigation ; Intellectual Property Litigation ; Life Sciences ; Technology ; Trials
Position
Sonal N. Mehta is a trial lawyer representing many of the world’s leading technology and life sciences companies in high-stakes patent and technology disputes across a wide range of industries. Ms. Mehta has nearly 20 years of experience across all aspects of trial and appellate practice, including federal jury trials, state court jury and bench trials, International Trade Commission investigations, international arbitrations, and appeals to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the California appellate courts.
Outside of the courtroom, Ms. Mehta is an Executive Committee and Board member—and past president—of the Federal Circuit Bar Association, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Northern District of California’s Practice Program and on the Northern District of California’s Patent Local Rules Attorney Advisory Committee. In 2019, she was selected for a three-year term as a lawyer representative to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Council. Ms. Mehta regularly presents programs on patent litigation at Federal Judicial Center workshops for federal district and magistrate judges, and is a frequent speaker on patent litigation topics.
Ms. Mehta has a special interest in training and mentoring the next generation of trial lawyers. Since 2011, Ms. Mehta has taught Patent Litigation at her alma mater UC Berkeley School of Law. She regularly serves as guest faculty for the Stanford Trial Advocacy Clinic and for litigation practice courses at Berkeley School of Law.
Prior to joining WilmerHale, Ms. Mehta was a partner at another large international law firm, where she built her practice representing major technology sector companies in high-stakes patent litigation at the trial and appellate levels. She then joined a litigation boutique firm based in San Francisco, where she continued to serve as lead counsel for leading technology and life sciences clients in patent and commercial litigation matters.
Memberships
- California
- US District Court for the Northern District of California
- US District Court for the Southern District of California
- US District Court for the Central District of California
- US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
Education
JD, University of California, Berkeley School of Law, 2002
BA, Political Science, University of California, Berkeley, 1998
Content supplied by WilmerHale
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Exceptional firm for high stakes patent litigation and trial work. They develop case defences and themes early; with very active attention and engagement in the matters they handle. The written work product is top notch.' 'The partners I have worked with, particularly Joseph Mueller, are very committed to the development of their trial skills. Jordan Hirsch is extremely responsive, highly efficient, great at team management, and gives solid practical advice. Brittany Amadi is a strong appellate lawyer and Sarah Frazier is a great day-to-day case.' 'The WilmerHale patent litigators are simply the best, from initial case workup to jury verdict to appeal. They develop sophisticated, winning strategies. Their written and oral communications are clear and persuasive. They know how to try a case, and their trial teams operate like well-oiled machines. Their written and oral appeal advocacy is second to none.' 'The WilmerHale lawyers excel at every step of litigation, including strategy, discovery, motions, and oral argument. Their case strategies are creative and strong, supported by superior written work products. Standout lawyers include Michael Summersgill, Todd Zubler, Jordan Hirsch, Mindy Sooter, Amanda Major, Greg Lantier, Louis Tompros, Arthur Coviello, Timothy Syrett, Marissa Lalli, and Cindy Vreeland.'
Key clients
- Comcast Cable Communications Becton, Dickinson and Company Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Exelixis, Inc. F. Hoffman La Roche Google Inc. X Corporation Merck KGaA T-Mobile PNC Bank, NA
Work highlights
Secured a significant victory for Comcast over NexStep, Inc. in a high-stakes patent case involving Comcast’s voice remote controls and customer support systems.