Straddling both the IP litigation and the litigation and enforcement practices, Ropes & Gray LLP’s appellate offering has a focus on patent appeals and financial services. In terms of the latter area, the team utilizes the firm’s dominance in funds and regulatory matters to pack a punch in complex business cases, such as its representation of approximately thirty defendants, including major public and private pension plans, in $8bn worth of fraudulent conveyance litigation connected to a leveraged buyout of the Tribune Company. Washington DC-based department head Douglas Hallward-Driemeier maintains a broad appellate focus, which encompasses the full range of civil and criminal matters; he is leading the appellate side of the Tribune case. James Batchelder, who splits his time between San Francisco and Silicon Valley, is noted for IP appeals.

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Key clients

  • MOAC Holdings LLC (“Mall of America”)
  • Apax Partners
  • Walgreen Co. and Walgreens Boots Alliance
  • Roku
  • Defense group of institutional investor and mangers, including Fidelity, Blackrock and Vanguard
  • Defense group in In re Tribune Co. Fraudulent Conveyance Litigation
  • Novavax
  • Albertsons Companies
  • Casita LP
  • Central Brooklyn Homeowners of Color
  • Extreme Networks
  • Egenera

Work highlights

  • Successfully represented MOAC Holdings LLC in its appeal over Transform Holdco LLC, obtaining a unanimous 9-0 decision at the US Supreme Court.
  • Led and coordinated the defense of $8bn worth of fraudulent conveyance litigation against public shareholder defendants seeking to recover payments made to shareholders in a leveraged buyout of the Tribune Company.
  • Persuaded the Federal Circuit to affirm an earlier decision dismissing all remaining claims against Extreme Networks with prejudice in a patent lawsuit filed by XR Communications.

Lawyers

Leading lawyers
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Douglas Hallward-Driemeier

Other key lawyers

James Batchelder