Intellectual property firm Irell & Manella LLP scored a big win for Dallas-based Texas Instruments Inc. earlier this month when a U.S. District Court judge in L.A. issued a summary judgment dismissing a patent infringement case that sought $94 million and a permanent injunction.
The case was brought by Newport Beach-based Acacia Research Corp. on behalf of subsidiary Microprocessor Enhancement Corp. Acacia, which derives much of its business from patent infringement claims, declined to comment on the decision.
Acacia claimed that Texas Instruments’ line of C6000 microprocessors, used commercially as part of computers to decode frequencies for cell phone towers and cable-box recorders, violated its patent on high-performance microprocessors.
“This is a very significant part of the market for them because these are among their top-of-the-line devices,” said attorney Gary Frischling, who led the Irell team.
“Rulings such as this one encourage innovative technology companies such as TI to continue standing firm against the increasing number of meritless patent infringement lawsuits being threatened and filed against them,” said TI General Counsel Joseph F. Hubach.
Frischling said the summary judgment win gave him a “terrific feeling.”
“We obviously believed from the outset that the claim didn’t have any merit,” he said. “It’s nice to get a decisive conclusion from the court and spare the client the cost and burden of a trial when we felt there wasn’t anything worth trying.”
Frischling worked on the case for nearly two years, along with partner Layn Phillips, senior counsel Brian Ledahl, and associates Keith Orso and Alex Karpman.
Winds of Change
Wind power experts Edward Zaelke and Adam Umanoff have left Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP for Chadbourne & Parke LLP. The two lawyers are joining Keith Martin at Chadbourne to create a wind power and alternative energy practice in the Los Angeles office.
“This is an exciting move for Chadbourne and our clients,” said Managing Partner Charles K. O’Neil. “Ed and Adam are nationally recognized names in the alternative energy sphere. Joining forces with lawyers of their quality and reputation solidifies our excellent results in 2006 and puts a powerful wind behind our sails for 2007.”
Zaelke is president of the American Wind Energy Association. His clients are developers and investors in the wind energy field. Umanoff served as general counsel and chief executive of Enron Wind Corp., which at one time was the world’s third largest wind turbine manufacturer and wind project developer, with annual revenues of approximately $800 million.
The wind power industry is one of the fastest growing segments of the global energy business, enjoying a 26 percent compound annual growth rate over the last five years. According to the firm, more than $4 billion was invested in new wind projects in the United States in 2006.
The winds of change are also blowing at Nossaman Guthner Knox & Elliott LLP.
Following the abrupt exit of managing partner Scott DeVries, the firm has installed its first L.A.-based managing partner in 10 years, Michael Heumann.
The firm also named Marcia Wasserman, also in Los Angeles, as the firm’s first chief operating officer.
Nossman is a 130-lawyer firm specializing in infrastructure, complex civil litigation and land use. The firm was founded in Los Angeles in 1966 and now had seven U.S. offices.
“I am privileged to lead Nossaman in a time of exciting growth and success,” said Heumann. “The executive committee and I are tremendously optimistic about the coming year.”
DeVries is now at Winston & Strawn LLP in San Francisco.
Around Town
The Motion Picture Association of America tapped Gregory Goeckner to be its general counsel last week. He had served as acting GC since August. Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Preston Gates Ellis LLP hired Timothy L. Pierce as a partner in the firm’s construction litigation practice from Thelen Reid Brown Raysman & Steiner LLP. DLA Piper US LLP promoted Eric Beane, Michael Hamilton, Nick Morgan, Andrew Shiner and Gregg Zucker to partner.
Staff reporter Emily Bryson York can be reached at (323) 549-5225, ext. 235, or at
[email protected]
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