Experience

Dolby Laboratories v. Alcatel-Lucent Technologies

We represented Dolby in seeking a declaratory judgment that Dolby’s AC-3 (“Dolby Digital”) technology does not infringe patents that Alcatel-Lucent had asserted against Dolby’s licensees.  Following protracted litigation, in which we obtained discovery sanctions against Alcatel-Lucent on multiple occasions and attorneys’ fees at the conclusion of the case, we successfully obtained orders granting summary judgment of non-infringement on the patents-in-suit.  The Federal Circuit affirmed the district court's orders awarding summary judgment and attorney's fees.

Waymo LLC v. Uber Technologies, Inc. et al.

Appointed by federal court Judge William Alsup of the Northern District of California, John Cooper is serving as “special master” in Waymo’s trade secrets case against Uber, putting him at a focal point of what could be seen as a battle for the future of the autonomous vehicle industry.

Warner Bros. Records v. SeeqPod

We defended search engine SeeqPod in a copyright infringement matter brought by Warner Brothers Records and several other major music labels in the Central District of California. Warner is alleging that SeeqPod's technology allows the infringement of copyrighted materials, and is seeking a preliminary injunction. We are defending the action based on a number of "safe harbors" under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("DMCA").

Dr. Bronner

We represented Dr. Bronner’s, a manufacturer of organic skin care products, in an action against several major cosmetic companies asserting that the skin care products of the defendants which were advertised and sold as “organic” were not in fact organic as understood by consumers in California. The critical issue in this action was determination of what constitutes “organic” ingredients in skin care products to justify advertising and presenting those products as “organic.” After several years of litigation in state and federal courts in San Francisco, the matter is currently pending before the USDA.

Bilski et al v. Kappos (561 U.S. 593 (2010)

Submitted an amicus brief on behalf of Dolby Laboratories for the Supreme Court of the United States in the landmark Bilski ruling relating to business method patents. The Supreme Court relied on and cited for the proposition in overturning the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals opinion and addressing the scope of what is patentable under section 101 of the Patent Act. Specifically, that exclusive adoption of a “machine-or-transformation test” for patent eligibility “would create uncertainty as to the patentability of software, advanced diagnostic medicine techniques, and inventions based on linear programming, data compression, and the manipulation of digital signals.”

AGF Reinsurance et al. v. Spar Aerospace LTD

In an action testing the boundaries of industry‑standard contracts, we defended the Canadian manufacturer of a communication satellite that malfunctioned after launch in an action brought by an international consortium of insurance companies that underwrote launch insurance for the mission.

Microsoft Antitrust Litigation

One of our partners was appointed to be the Special Master for the consumer class action and competitor class action lawsuits filed against Microsoft for its alleged antitrust violations, including the use of technological developments to stifle competition. The consolidated case was pending in the District Court in Baltimore, Maryland.

Plywood Antitrust Litigation

Won a jury verdict for the plaintiff class in the amount of approximately $2 billion in a trial representing all purchasers of plywood in the U.S. and successfully defended the verdict on appeal in the Fifth Circuit arguing against Robert Bork. The case was ultimately settled for $168 million while pending before the U.S. Supreme Court. Reported at 655 F.2d 627 (5th Cir. 1981).

Scheiber v. Dolby

We successfully obtained summary judgment in favor of our client, Dolby Laboratories, Inc., in the Indiana District Court on the issue of bundling United States patents with foreign patents. The judgment was affirmed by the Seventh Circuit, and a writ of certiorari denied by the Supreme Court.

Firm Highlights

Publication

Nonprofit Basics: Best Practices for Approving Insider Compensation Decisions

Welcome to  EO Radio Show – Your Nonprofit Legal Resource . This episode is the third in a series discussing insider transactions by exempt organizations. In this episode, I'll look closely at best practices...

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News

WhatsApp and Facebook Take the NSO Group to Court

Kyle McLorg was interviewed for the  Shoot The Messenger: Espionage, Murder, & Pegasus Spyware  investigative podcast episode “WhatsApp and Facebook Take the NSO Group to Court” produced by Exile Media in collaboration with The...

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Event

The Fine Print: A Litigator’s Perspective on Boilerplate Contract and Insurance Provisions

Join Carly Alameda and Amy Briggs in the discussion on "The Fine Print: A Litigator’s Perspective on Boilerplate Contract and Insurance Provisions" to the ACC Bay Area Chapter. Corporate counsel are often tasked with negotiating...

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Publication

Nonprofit Basics: Conflict of Interest Policies and Best Practices for Approving Insider Compensation

Welcome to  EO Radio Show – Your Nonprofit Legal Resource . This episode is the second in a series discussing insider transactions. In episode 32, I gave a general overview of the federal laws...

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Publication

I Always Feel Like AI Is Watching Me: Artificial Intelligence and Privacy

ChatGPT got the early press, and every day we learn of new generative artificial intelligence products that can create new and creative visual and text responses to human input. Following on ChatGPT’s fame, Google’s...

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Event

The Fine Print: A Litigator’s Perspective on Boilerplate Contract and Insurance Provisions

Join Carly Alameda and Amy Briggs in the discussion on "The Fine Print: A Litigator’s Perspective on Boilerplate Contract and Insurance Provisions" to the ACC Bay Area Chapter. Corporate counsel are often tasked with negotiating...

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News

Profile in Women Leadership - Mary McCutcheon

Mary McCutcheon Headshot
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News

Farella Advises TILT Holdings Inc. on $86.7 Million Debt Refinancing

Northern California legal powerhouse Farella Braun + Martel advised TILT Holdings Inc. , a global provider of cannabis business solutions that include inhalation technologies, cultivation, manufacturing, processing, brand development, and retail, on a series of...

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Publication

State Minimum Fire Safe Regulations Go Into Effect April 1, 2023

The State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection has been actively pursuing comprehensive new wildfire protection standards for development in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones and State Responsibility Areas where the State of...

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Event

23rd Annual Wine Industry Conference

Farella Braun + Martel is a Presenting Partner of the  North Bay Business Journal' s 23rd Annual Wine Industry Conference. The conference will explore new trends and challenges to the wine industry in the North Bay. Farella's Richard...

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