Courtland L Reichman

Practice Areas

Courtland Reichman is a broadly gauged trial lawyer with over 25 years of experience in high-exposure intellectual property and commercial litigation. He has been recognized by Benchmark Litigation as one of the "Top 100 Trial Lawyers in the U.S.,” and the “Top 20 in California.” Courtland is known for delivering results through comprehensive case strategy, boiling down even the most complex cases into understandable themes, and communicating simply and effectively with judges and juries.

Courtland’s intellectual property practice focuses on patent, false advertising, copyright and trademark litigation. His complex commercial practice includes issues of constitutional law, energy, antitrust, breach of contract, trade secrets, franchise/distribution, and unfair competition.

Courtland’s appellate practice comprises more than 30 federal appellate arguments, including arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court and the Federal Circuit. For three consecutive years, he was named “Silicon Valley Litigator of the Year” by Benchmark Litigation. He was also recognized by Chambers USA as a leading intellectual property lawyer and The National Law Journal as a “Plaintiffs’ Trailblazer,” among other accolades.

Courtland graduated, with honors, from Swarthmore College, with a degree in economics, after which he worked as an associate economist at the RAND Corporation, publishing a number of articles and a book involving labor economics. He later graduated Order of the Coif from Emory University School of Law, where he was managing editor of the Emory Law Journal. Courtland served as a law clerk to the Honorable R. Lanier Anderson III on the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

Prior to founding Reichman Jorgensen Lehman & Feldberg LLP, Courtland served as Managing Principal of McKool Smith’s Silicon Valley office and as Global Chair of King & Spalding’s 150-lawyer Intellectual Property Group and as Managing Partner of the firm’s San Francisco and Silicon Valley offices.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY TRIAL PRACTICE

Courtland has represented clients in over 100 patent cases. The subject matter of these cases involved a wide variety of technologies, including electrical engineering, software, medical devices, computer science, semiconductors, mechanical engineering, optics, digital television, life sciences, chemistry, health supplements, design patents, fluid dynamics, and polyurethane bags. He has litigated patent cases in federal courts across the country, and before the International Trade Commission (ITC), where his representation includes one of the largest-ever ITC patent infringement actions.

Courtland also has a leading practice in trademark and false advertising litigation, having represented companies owning the world’s most valuable trademarks. He has extensive experience litigating false advertising cases related to a wide variety of industries, such as pharmaceuticals, chemical engineering, consumer products, media, electronics, health, fitness, food, and beverages. Courtland has successfully handled dozens of temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction hearings.

COMMERCIAL TRIAL PRACTICE

Courtland has similarly extensive expertise in complex commercial litigation. He has represented plaintiffs and defendants in a wide variety of high-exposure cases, including trade secrets, antitrust, constitutional law, energy disputes, franchise and distribution, whistleblower actions, breach of restrictive covenants, unfair competition, breach of contract, licensing, automotive dealer laws, and partnership disputes. Courtland’s clients praise his ability to quickly master complex facts and laws with an eye toward effective communication with juries.

BEHIND THE TRIAL PODCAST

Courtland is host of a popular podcast called “Behind The Trial.” The episodes feature Courtland’s interviews with the most celebrated trial lawyers in the U.S. about the art of persuasion. The podcast goes behind the scenes for intimate, in-depth discussions about persuasion techniques that are passed on by oral tradition. It strives to capture the unique voice and style of each trial star by covering their best practices for presenting to judges and juries, pitfalls to avoid, and their secrets for convincing juries. It also examines the role of juries and trial lawyers in society. The podcast is available on most platforms, such as iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and GooglePlay.

Behind the Trial won The National Law Journal’s 2018 “Go-To Thought Leader” award. The recipients were selected by The National Law Review’s editors from a pool of over 100,000 legal news and analysis articles.

RANKINGS & HONORS

Named Top 100 Trial Lawyer in the U.S. and Top 20 Trial Lawyer in California by Benchmark Litigation

Recognized as both an Elite Boutique Trailblazer and Plaintiffs’ Trailblazer by the National Law Journal

Ranked in Chambers USA as a leading intellectual property lawyer

Three-Time Winner of “Silicon Valley Litigator of the Year” by Benchmark Litigation 2020-2022

Ranked in IAM Patent 1000: The World’s Leading Patent Professionals

Named "IP Star" by Managing IP

Recognized as “Litigator of the Week” in 2021 by The American Lawyer

Recognized as “Legal Lion” by Law360

Recognized as leading lawyer by The Legal 500 and for "applying legal tools to resolve commercial issues” and for "analyzing issues from a broad perspective and developing pragmatic strategies”

Inaugural Distinguished Young AluAtmnus Award by Emory University School of Law

Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) Young Lawyers Award for commitment to securing justice and fair treatment for all people

Named Attorney of the Year in San Jose Metro Area (Silicon Valley) by Best Lawyers Magazine

Named “Best Attorneys” in California by Peer Recognition

Ranked in Best Lawyers in America for Intellectual Property Litigation

Recommended for the second consecutive year as a leading U.S. patent litigator by Legal 500: "gives sound pragmatic advice"

“Legal Elite” by Georgia Trend Magazine

One of 10 Georgia lawyers predicted to make a mark on the profession by the Fulton County Daily Report

Super Lawyer by Georgia SuperLawyers magazine

“Rising Star” by Georgia SuperLawyers magazine, including profile of practice

Recognized as Top 40 Under 40 lawyers in the U.S. by The National Law Journal earlier in his career

COMMUNITY & PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Courtland devotes a substantial portion of his practice to public interest matters. He has represented clients in pro bono litigation involving civil rights, indigent defense, and special appeals. Courtland founded the Indigent Defense Project, through which lawyers represented impoverished felony defendants in rural counties. He has handled numerous successful civil rights lawsuits addressing mistreatment in jails and prisons, including the beating death of a young inmate in South Georgia.

Courtland’s pro bono efforts include representing the Mayor’s Commission on Homelessness. He also represented the city of Atlanta in connection with its panhandling ordinance. In 2001, Courtland received the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) Young Lawyers Award for his commitment to securing justice and fair treatment for all people. Courtland’s pro bono work has been profiled by major media outlets, including CNN, and several newspapers and magazines. He was previously awarded Emory University School of Law’s first Distinguished Young Alumnus Award.

Courtland serves on the Board of Silicon Valley Campaign for Legal Services. He previously served on the Bench & Bar Conference Planning Committee for the Federal Circuit Bar Association, on the Eleventh Circuit advisory committee in connection with its annual conference, and as chair of the Veteran’s Committee for the Federal Circuit Bar Association. He served as president of the Board of Directors of the Living Room (a nonprofit providing housing support and services for the HIV positive homeless population), on the Board of Directors of the Southern Center for Human Rights, and as an elder at Morningside Presbyterian Church.

Education