Praised by clients for fielding a team of ‘exceptionally talented and experienced’ trial lawyers, Kirkland & Ellis LLP has extensive experience handling patent infringement matters in the full range of litigation forums, with particular expertise in competitor disputes. Intellectual property litigator Gregory Arovas in New York is a ‘top notch lead counsel’ in patent disputes, trial lawyer Gregg LoCascio in Washington DC handles a varied caseload of IP and commercial litigation matters, and San Francisco-based lawyer Adam Alper specializes in patent and trade secret litigation. Also in New York, Robert Appleby focuses on intellectual property litigation and Todd Friedman handles disputes in the tech and medical devices sectors. The group also includes experienced trial lawyer James Hurst in Chicago, Austin-based Jeannie Heffernan, and Edward Donovan in Washington DC, who specializes in tech-related IP litigation. The Los Angeles team includes IP trial lawyer Michael De Vries and the ‘impressive’ Sharre Lotfollahi, who focuses on tech licensing disputes. Trial lawyer Brandon Brown in San Francisco, who specializes in high-tech patent disputes, is another name to note.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘The Kirkland & Ellis patent litigation practice is a team of exceptionally talented and experienced operators. They are sharp strategists, impressive advocates, trusted advisors and a safe pair of hands for complex 'bet-the-farm' proceedings.’

  • ‘Kirkland's patent litigation team is first rate. They carefully size up the case to devise and execute a winning strategy and work tirelessly to get the details right and be responsive to client concerns. Kirkland is the firm you want in your corner.’

  • ‘Greg Arovas is a top notch lead counsel; he has a knack for sizing up, simplifying, and summarizing strategy and is an excellent speaker and advocate.'

  • 'Todd Friedman, Robert Appleby, Luke Dauchot, and Brandon Brown are excellent strategists, writers, and oral advocates.’

  • 'Chris Lawless is a standout, up-and-coming young partner with talents in strategy and oral advocacy.’

  • ‘Garret Leach and Sharre Lotfollahi are truly impressive. Their ability to distil technical and complex concepts in simple terms is a testament to their considerable experience and deep understanding of patent litigation practice. They are always thinking leaps ahead, setting out clear strategies for a proceeding and executing those strategies with focus and tenacity.’

Key clients

  • AbbVie Inc.
  • Abbott Laboratories
  • Advanced Bionics
  • Biedermann Technologies
  • Boehringer Ingelheim USA
  • Eagle Pharmaceuticals
  • TCL Electronics Holdings Limited
  • Alcon Vision
  • Deere & Company
  • Intel Corporation
  • iRobot
  • Red Hat
  • Teva Pharmaceuticals
  • Sony Corporation of America
  • Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
  • Charter Communications
  • Comet Technologies
  • American Honda Motor Company
  • Motorola Solutions, Inc.
  • Omnitracs, LLC
  • Verizon Communications

Lawyers

Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.

Other key lawyers

Gregory Arovas, Gregg LoCascio, Adam Alper, Robert Appleby, Todd Friedman, James Hurst, Jeannie Heffernan, Michael De Vries, Sharre Lotfollahi, Brandon Brown, Garret Leach, Luke Dauchot, Chris Lawless