Irell & Manella LLP

Executive Committee: Matthew Ashley, Morgan Chu, Ben Hattenbach, Keith Orso, Amy Proctor

Number of partners: 25

Number of other lawyers: 59

Firm Overview:

For more than 80 years, Irell & Manella LLP has helped clients resolve their most challenging and complex legal issues. The firm is known for its extraordinary track record of successful outcomes, especially at trial, as well as the genuine creativity it brings to high-stakes litigation. The firm’s success is rooted in its unflagging commitment to quality and client service.

Main Areas of Practice:

Complex Commercial Litigation:

One of the nation’s premier litigation practices. Represents clients in all types of complex commercial litigation. Recent wins range from obtaining the largest patent judgment in history, to scoring a defense victory against a novel antitrust suit, to securing a jury verdict of material breach, to obtaining a trial verdict in a complex environmental case. Received Law360’s Intellectual Property Group of the Year, named one of North America’s Most Innovative Law Firms by The Financial Times, honored with the Daily Journal CLAY Award and two of our lawyers were awarded The American Lawyer’s Litigator of the Year as a duo.

Intellectual Property Litigation:

One of the oldest and deepest IP practices in any multi-practice law firm known for back-to-back trials and complex litigation. Gained its world-renowned reputation for winning high-profile IP cases involving patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, unfair competition and antitrust issues. Named a Law360 IP Practice Group of the Year in 2021, 2023 and 2024.

Life Sciences:

Represents leading innovators, universities and other leading companies in matters involving pharmaceuticals, biologics, medical devices, and contract disputes relating to licensing. The team includes attorneys and technical staff who hold doctoral and other academic credentials in chemistry, biology, engineering, and related disciplines.

Patent Office Trials:

Offers extensive experience in Patent Office proceedings, including inter partes review (IPR), covered business method review and ex parte reexamination. Features Michael Fleming, former chief administrative patent judge of the Patent Office’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Opened Washington, DC, office in 2021 to provide additional support for Federal Circuit appeals, inter partes reviews and other USPTO proceedings, as well as U.S. International Trade Commission matters.

Antitrust and Unfair Competition:

Offers extensive experience handling matters related to allegedly anti-competitive agreements and behavior, including but not limited to issues involving the intersection of intellectual property and antitrust laws.

Appellate:

Composed of litigators who frequently handle appeals and writs in various appellate courts, with deep experience in handling intellectual property matters in the Federal Circuit. Recent appellate victories were also obtained in the U.S. Supreme Court, the Delaware Supreme Court, Second Circuit, Fourth Circuit, Ninth Circuit and California Court of Appeals.

Intellectual Property Transactions:

Provides strategic advice to entrepreneurs and industry leaders across a wide range of business sectors on how they can decrease risks and maximize the value of their intellectual property. With experience in all facets of intellectual property—from patents, copyrights and trade secrets to trademarks, service marks and trade dress—the firm handles an array of highly complex transactions.

Patent Portfolio Management:

Provides strategic counseling to businesses on the development and commercialization of their patent portfolios. This includes exploring options for licensing, sale or litigation—and sometimes a combination of all three. The firm’s lawyers help clients expand portfolios through acquisitions, oversee high-value patent prosecution, develop licensing campaigns and enforce license agreements.

Securities Litigation:

Encompasses private litigation; shareholder derivative and corporate governance litigation; mergers and acquisitions litigation; inquiries, subpoenas, and investigations commenced by regulatory agencies or prosecuting authorities; internal corporate investigations; and counseling in connection with D&O insurance issues.