Patent Litigation
Many of the world’s premier companies rely on Weil’s patent litigation expertise to navigate the ever-changing patent landscape. Our lawyers are at the forefront of major representations that are transforming the technology and life sciences industries.
Notable Representations, Key Contacts
Our litigators have a great track record in patent cases across all the major venues in the United States. We effectively advance our clients’ objectives, whether those are winning a dispute in court or negotiating an advantageous license. Our team provides clients with experience across multiple sectors, including semiconductors, high tech, telecom, pharmaceutical and biotechnology therapeutics, biotechnology research tools, medical devices, chemicals, manufacturing, and consumer products.
Integrated, Full-Service Patent Dispute Practice
Attorneys in the Patent Litigation group have extensive experience litigating and trying cases in all the major patent venues. We understand the landscape in each court and tribunal; this deep knowledge gives our clients a strategic advantage in high-stakes proceedings. Our patent litigators regularly represent clients in:
- U.S. District Courts: Our litigators have extensive experience, and have achieved significant wins, in the District of Delaware, the Eastern District of Texas, the Northern and Central Districts of California, the Eastern District of Virginia, the District of New Jersey, and others.
- Federal Circuit Court of Appeals: Clients rely on Weil’s patent appeals practice for its experience, acumen, and ability to deliver win after win in the Federal Circuit.
- U.S. International Trade Commission: Our lawyers regularly represent clients in high-stakes investigations under the ITC’s fast-paced procedures.
- Patent Trial and Appeal Board: We regularly work with clients on challenges to the validity of patents at the PTAB, in Inter Partes Review (IPR), Post-Grant Review, and Covered Business Method Review proceedings, both as Patent Owners and Petitioners.
- IP Due Diligence: We offer a multidisciplinary Strategic IP Counseling group that focuses on patent portfolio analysis, pre-dispute counseling and investigations, and IP transactions.
The Team’s Technical Depth
Recognized as a go-to firm for high-stakes patent litigation, we offer a deep bench of litigators with diverse technical and scientific backgrounds, including graduate and undergraduate degrees in: electrical engineering, physics, mechanical engineering, computer science, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, and cell biology.
“[Weil] has been handling high-stakes patent litigation since before this became fashionable – years of experience give its lawyers a natural feel for how judges in different venues might respond to various arguments and approaches.”
IAM Patent 1000
Selected Representations
Bio-Rad Laboratories and the University of Chicago
HP Inc.
Illumina
For many years Weil has represented Illumina, a major manufacturer of DNA sequencing instruments, in significant patent litigations in courts around the United States. Some recent notable successes include:
- Winning preliminary injunctions in June 2020 against a major competitor and imitator, Chinese conglomerate BGI, in the Northern District of California, which prevent BGI from launching its DNA sequencers in the U.S.
- Winning Federal Circuit affirmation in April 2020 of a $27 million patent jury verdict Weil earlier secured in 2018 for Verinata Health and Illumina adverse to Ariosa Diagnostics. Following trial, the federal jury found two of Illumina and Verinata’s patents valid and infringed, and found against Ariosa on its breach of contract counterclaims seeking nearly $100 million. The Daily Journal featured the jury trial victory as one of its “Top Verdicts” for 2018.
- Winning a significant Federal Circuit appeal in March 2020 in another patent infringement suit Illumina brought against Ariosa Diagnostics, in which the Federal Circuit identified for the first time a “method of preparation” as a category in the patentable subject matter analysis.
- Winning a preliminary injunction against another rival, Qiagen, prohibiting Qiagen from selling and marketing in the U.S. its competing DNA sequencer, the GeneReader NGS system, which specifically targeted the rapidly expanding clinical laboratory market for low-cost sequencing.
T-Mobile
Altria
General Electric
Key Contacts



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Shortcut Links
Recent Announcements
- Weil Wins Appeal for Illumina Protecting Cutting-Edge DNA Sequencing Technology Litigation Win — February 02, 2021
- Three Weil Partners Recognized as 2020 Top Women in Litigation by Benchmark Litigation Firm Announcement — August 18, 2020
- Weil Delivers Dual Federal Circuit Wins for Bio-Rad and Illumina Protecting DNA Sequencing and Analysis Litigation Win — August 05, 2020
Intellectual Property Firm of the Year
Benchmark Litigation 2017 and 2018
Clients consider Weil “a go-to firm with effective execution and efficient work,” and note: “They’re superb in their client service and are an incredibly organized team. They’re on top of the large matters and they make sure the trains run on time.”
Chambers USA 2015-2019
Ranked among the top 10 firms nationally for Patents: Litigation.
Legal 500 US 2020
Weil “combines wide-ranging technology expertise… with longstanding experience in life sciences and pharmaceutical litigation… and [a] proven PTAB and Federal Circuit strength.”
Legal 500 US 2020
“The team at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP 'fights aggressively, but reasonably', 'communicates effectively' and 'makes sure to engage the client on strategic approaches'.”
Legal 500 US 2019
Ranked among the leading firms nationally for Patent Contentious and PTAB Litigation.
Managing Intellectual Property 2020
Ranked among the leading firms for Intellectual Property, Nationwide, California and Texas
Chambers USA 2020
Clients say Weil is “a go-to firm” with “extraordinary lawyers producing top-notch work product" who are “smart, hard-working and meticulous” and “able to work at a high level on strategy and are always thinking five steps ahead."
Chambers USA 2020
Ranked among the leading firms in the U.S. for Intellectual Property: Patent.
Chambers Global 2020
Top 10 firm in the PTAB
Docket Navigator 2018
Awards and Recognition, Speaking Engagements, Latest Thinking, Firm News & Announcements, Recent Announcements
Awards and Recognition
- Weil Named a Top-Ranked Tier 1 Firm for Intellectual Property Award Brief — Benchmark Litigation 2021
- Weil Named a “Leading” Firm for Intellectual Property, Nationwide, California, New York and Texas Award Brief — Chambers USA 2020
- Weil Named a “Leading” Firm for Patent Litigation: Full Coverage Award Brief — Legal 500 US 2020
- Weil Named a "Highly Recommended" Firm for Patent Contentious in California and New York Award Brief — Managing Intellectual Property IP Stars 2020
- Weil Named a "Recommended" Firm for General Patent Litigation Award Brief — LMG Life Sciences 2020
Speaking Engagements
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25th Annual Advanced Patent Law Institute
Speaker(s):
Anne M. Cappella and
Garland T. Stephens
November 06, 2020 — Virtual Event — Patent Litigation partners Anne Cappella and Garland Stephens spoke on a panel titled “Damages: FRAND, Foreign Activity, and Other Recent Developments” at University of Texas Law's 25th Annual Advanced Patent Law Institute, discussing recent decisions affecting FRAND licensing and damages, foreign activity in U.S. courts, and the impact of COVID-19 on the calculation and presentation of damages claims.
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A year in review: case law updates from PTAB
Speaker(s):
Elizabeth S. Weiswasser
October 06, 2020 — Virtual Event — Patent Litigation Co-Head Elizabeth Weiswasser moderated a panel discussing trends, decisions and Federal Circuit case law impacting practice before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board at Managing Intellectual Property’s 2020 US Patent Forum.
Latest Thinking
- Litigation Trends 2019 Alert — By Weil’s Litigation Department — March 2019
Firm News & Announcements
- Weil Wins Appeal for Illumina Protecting Cutting-Edge DNA Sequencing Technology Litigation Win — February 02, 2021
- Weil Highly Ranked in 2020 LMG Life Sciences Guide Firm Announcement — October 14, 2020