Intellectual Property Litigation

Overview

For many businesses, intellectual property is their most significant asset and their greatest vulnerability. The expense associated with complex intellectual property litigation has the potential to cripple businesses and can dissuade companies from protecting their investments. At Robinson+Cole, the Intellectual Property Litigation Team works closely with the Intellectual Property and Technology Team to understand the science and technology behind our clients' business operations, enabling us to develop a litigation strategy rooted in our clients' business goals.

Our Services and Our Team

Our experience helps us to reduce uncertainty by objectively evaluating cases early in the process. That experience includes representing major corporations in intellectual property litigation hotbeds, including the Eastern District of Texas, the District of Delaware, and the Northern District of California, as well as in local matters in the state and federal courts.

We represent clients in diverse industries in disputes concerning the following:

  • patent infringement
  • trademark infringement
  • copyright infringement
  • trade secret misappropriation
  • e-commerce and privacy
  • computer fraud and abuse
  • licensing, royalty, and development
  • unfair trade practice cases 
    • Experience
      • Represent a Fortune 50 corporation in a federal trade secret dispute, which includes allegations under the Defend Trade Secrets Act.

      • Won dismissal of an aerospace trade secrets dispute against our client by demonstrating that the plaintiff had no evidence of damages. After a win at summary judgment, our victory was upheld on appeal before the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. 

      • Negotiated a detailed agreement to resolve a potential trade secrets dispute. We collaborated with our e-discovery lawyers, corporate intellectual property counsel, and trial counsel to create and execute a plan to resolve the dispute without the need for any litigation.

      • Represented client who sued a former distributor of the client’s revolutionary technology, which has been credited with saving lives in wars in the Middle East and in trauma accidents throughout the world. A U.S. District Court found on all counts for our client and against the defendant in this trademark infringement case.

      • Forced plaintiff to drop patent suit against our client, a major health insurer, concerning technology for claims handling. Our threatened motion to dismiss on Alice grounds created crucial and case-winning leverage for our client.

      • Filed a declaratory judgment action that forced a proposed plaintiff, a chronic lawsuit filer, to back off when our client received a letter threatening a baseless patent infringement action.

    • News
      • August 17, 2023

        78 Robinson+Cole Lawyers Listed in The Best Lawyers in America© 2024

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      • May 19, 2023

        John Cordani Considers Inventorship and the Role of Common Law in IPWatchdog Article

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      • March 13, 2023

        John Cordani Discusses Free Speech in Patent Disputes for IPWatchdog

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      • November 16, 2022

        Robinson+Cole Continues Significant Strategic Expansion with New Office in Washington, DC

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      • November 9, 2022

        John Cordani and Jackie Scheib Featured in Law360 Article on IP+T Group’s Planned Patent Growth

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      • November 3, 2022

        Robinson+Cole Receives 43 First-Tier Metropolitan Rankings and Four National Rankings in Latest U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms”

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      • August 18, 2022

        74 Robinson+Cole Lawyers Listed in The Best Lawyers in America 2023

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      • May 13, 2022

        John Cordani and Trevor Bradley Co-Author IPWatchdog Article on Notice Letters and Personal Jurisdiction

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      • November 4, 2021

        Robinson+Cole Receives 40 First-Tier Metropolitan Rankings and Four National Rankings in Latest U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms”

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      • August 19, 2021

        65 Robinson+Cole Lawyers Listed in The Best Lawyers in America© 2022

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      • August 20, 2020

        61 Robinson+Cole Lawyers Listed in The Best Lawyers in America© 2021

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      • February 5, 2020

        John Cordani Authors IPWatchdog Article on New U.S.-Mexico Patent Prosecution Super-Highway Agreement

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      • October 2, 2019

        Robinson+Cole Recognized by Benchmark Litigation

      • November 1, 2018

        Robinson+Cole Receives 36 First-Tier Metropolitan Rankings and Four National Rankings in Latest U.S. News – “Best Law Firms” Survey

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      • November 1, 2016

        Robinson+Cole Receives 34 First-Tier Metropolitan Rankings and 3 National Rankings in Latest U.S. News – Best Law Firms Survey

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      • March 13, 2014

        Brian Moran Co-authors Antitrust Guidebook for Business Executives

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      • November 1, 2013

        Robinson & Cole Receives 34 First-Tier Metropolitan Rankings and Three National Rankings in U.S. News – Best Lawyers Survey

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      • October 21, 2013

        Super Lawyers® Names 61 Robinson & Cole Attorneys to 2013 List

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      • August 16, 2013

        Robinson & Cole Receives Top Listing in Connecticut Attorney Count in Best Lawyers National Peer Review Survey

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      • June 22, 2010

        William J. Kelleher III Receives “40 Under 40” Award

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      • May 19, 2010

        Robinson & Cole Attorney Presents to Massachusetts Association of Personnel Services on Proposed Noncompetition Agreement Act

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      • May 10, 2010

        Robinson & Cole Attorney Quoted on Massachusetts Bill Aimed to Change State's Noncompete Landscape

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      • April 6, 2010

        Robinson & Cole Attorney Lectures on Noncompetition Agreements at Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management

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      • March 2, 2010

        Robinson & Cole Attorney Publishes Articles on Trade Secrets Audits and Assignability of Noncompetition Agreements

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      • January 4, 2010

        Robinson & Cole Partner Quoted on International Agreement to Bolster Intellectual Property Enforcement

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    • Publications + Presentations
    • "Robinson & Cole discuss Website Accessibility and Compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act," co-authored by Ian T. Clarke-Fisher, Kathleen M. Porter and William J. Egan, the first part of a series on the Americans with Disabilities Act and website accessibility that will be published in the ADVOC Gazette (7/12/2022)
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      "Looking Forward to 2015 for Manufacturers/Distributors" (2/11/2015)

      "Supreme Court Starts 2015 with Focus on Facts" authored by Nuala E. Droney (1/22/2015)

      "Federal Circuit Extends Patent Term in Certain Cases" (02/18/2014)

      "Patent Reform Becomes Law: Highlights of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act," published in Connecticut Lawyer, co-authored by Nuala E. Droney and Andrea Donovan Napp (October/November 2012)

      "Drawing the Line Between Descriptive and Suggestive Trademarks," published in Commercial & Business Litigation, co-authored by Edward J. Heath and John M. Tanski, a newsletter of the American Bar Association's Section of Litigation (Fall 2010)

      "Can You Keep a Secret? Why Now Is the Time for a Trade Secrets Audit," published in Connections: Cambridge Chamber of Commerce Newsletter (2/2010)

      "States divided over asset purchases and non-competes," published in New England In-House, more details (1/2010)

      "The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act: An Overview and Discussion of a Recent First Circuit Case," at Boston Bar Assocation (3/11/2008)

      "Is an Employer Liable When Its Sales Employee Breaches a Noncompetition or Nonsolicitation Agreement with a Former Employer?" published in Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (2007)

Our Team

Members