Bijal Vakil

Practice Areas

Bijal is a key founding partner of A&O Shearman's Silicon Valley and San Francisco offices.

He successfully represents technology companies ranging from those on the Fortune 100 list to early-stage startups. Clients seek out Bijal for his expert courtroom strategies and advice on protecting complex, technical intellectual properties, leveraging his broad litigation experience in district courts, the International Trade Commission, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, and the Federal Circuit.

Bijal's legal expertise spans many technologies, including computer software, semiconductors, drones, e-commerce, social media, payments, autonomous vehicles, consumer electronics, telecommunications, video games, medical devices, and innovative uses of blockchain technology in cryptocurrency. His experience includes serving as lead counsel in hundreds of contentious patent matters, major trade secrets disputes, leading U.S. and cross-border deals, strategizing on complex technology transactions, and forming technology alliances in ground-breaking new industries. The practice that Bijal leads has been likened by IAM to “an IP boutique within a global firm”, with the title praising the team as one that “attracts globally recognized clients looking for crisp results in large-scale mandates.”

The legal community recognizes Bijal's unique skill set. He was selected to serve on various court committees in the United States District Court, Northern District of California, including Co-Chair of the Lawyer's Representative Committee; Chair of two Magistrate Judge Selection Committees; Member of Magistrate Judge Reappointment Committee and Mediator, Court's Alternative Dispute Resolution Program.

Bijal strongly believes in keeping the door open for others. His commitment to mentorship and diversity is evident through his active involvement with several Asian Pacific legal associations, earning him accolades from legal and business communities. His contributions have been acknowledged with awards from the National Asian Pacific Bar Association and the Silicon Valley Business Journal, underscoring his influence and dedication to paving the way for future generations in the legal field.