Sutherland’s Intellectual Property Group handles all areas of intellectual property litigation. We represent both plaintiffs and defendants in patent infringement, patent interference, and patent-related antitrust suits; trademark and trade dress infringement suits; trademark opposition and cancellation proceedings; copyright infringement suits; trade secret claims; federal and state unfair competition controversies; and false advertising and other Lanham Act claims. Our Intellectual Property Group consists of approximately 40, two-thirds of whom devote all or a significant amount of their time to intellectual property litigation. A significant number of Sutherland’s intellectual property lawyers hold specialized and advanced degrees in chemistry, chemical engineering, computer engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, molecular genetics, medicine and other scientific disciplines, and are registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
When a dispute involves complex technology, you need to be represented by lawyers who understand it and can explain it to a judge, jury, arbitrator or mediator. Our intellectual property litigation practice includes experienced trial lawyers who have represented plaintiffs and defendants in over 100 trials and legal proceedings in all forums – state, federal and foreign courts, arbitration and mediation inside and outside the United States, and administrative proceedings before the U.S. International Trade Commission, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and international Patent Offices. Appeals from these cases have ended up in state and federal appellate courts, including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, where we have won important rulings both affirming and reversing lower court decisions. Additionally, several of our attorneys have served as Special Masters in patent litigation matters before U.S. district courts.
Unlike many of our competitors, our experienced litigators and IP prosecutors work as a team, to be sure we spot all the potential invalidity and infringement scenarios efficiently, and advocate them effectively. We recognize that in most IP litigation, the stakes are extremely high for both sides. We regularly handle multi-patent, multi-district disputes between industry competitors, and understand that litigation is an important part of an overall competitive strategy.
Internationally, we have represented clients in arbitration proceedings before the International Chamber of Commerce; the London College of International Arbitration; the Zürich, Stockholm, Paris and Finland Chambers; the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO); and in mediation and/or arbitration proceedings in venues throughout Europe and the Americas. We also oversee trademark litigation matters handled by foreign counsel, engaged by us all over the world on behalf of our clients. These matters are handled in court proceedings in countries from China to Germany to Uruguay and in administrative proceedings in numerous foreign jurisdictions.
© 2008 Sutherland