Overview

Ellisen Turner is a partner in the Intellectual Property Practice Group of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Based in the Los Angeles office, his broad IP practice includes patent and trade secret litigation and intellectual property transactions. Ellisen is an IP strategist who combines business acumen with deep understanding of IP law to support his clients’ business goals and maximize the value of their technology.

Ellisen represents and counsels clients in complex commercial and intellectual property disputes in federal courts, as well as in the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) and domestic and international arbitrations. With a background in computer engineering, computer science and biomedical engineering, he is known for his sophisticated understanding of the high-tech sector. He concentrates his practice on media and entertainment technology, software, telecom, semiconductor, biotechnology and life sciences matters.

Ellisen also handles patent and trade secret litigations and contested patent office proceedings, particularly inter partes reviews (IPRs), through all phases, from pre-litigation to trial and appeal.

Ellisen helps clients develop strategies to successfully monetize their technologies, maximizing the value of both tangible and intellectual assets. He counsels businesses on technology development and commercialization and represents them in bankruptcy matters and transactions. These matters — which can involve a single patent or as many as tens of thousands of assets — include intellectual property transactions and license negotiations, as well as intellectual property due diligence in connection with mergers, acquisitions and asset purchases.

Clients rely on Ellisen both for his track record of success and for the enormous creativity he brings to each matter. Through his holistic approach, he takes the time to understand his clients’ business plans, short-term objectives, and long-term definitions of success. Armed with this knowledge, he crafts successful, often groundbreaking, legal strategies that meet clients’ critical business goals and pave the way to success in future endeavors.

Ellisen is deeply involved in the Los Angeles community and in national legal organizations and has been repeatedly appointed to the Judicial Elections Evaluations Committee for the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He has served as the chair and a board member of the Intellectual Property Section of the National Bar Association. Ellisen also founded the National Bar Association's annual Diversity in Tech Awards, which recognize leaders for fostering diversity and inclusion in the STEM and intellectual property fields. He also serves on the Intellectual Property Owners Association Litigation Committee and its Education Subcommittee.

Frequently invited as a speaker on patent law, Ellisen has presented on patent litigation and patent damages at the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) and other intellectual property conferences. He has been an associate columnist for the National Law Journal and has co-authored several papers and presentations regarding patent law and practice topics, including forum selection in patent infringement litigation, claim construction hearing practice and pre-litigation investigations.

Ellisen’s strong knowledge of the technology sector is informed by his early professional experience in private industry. Before attending law school, he worked as a software engineer at AlliedSignal Aerospace (now Honeywell International Inc.), Hewlett-Packard and IBM's Silicon Valley Laboratory and as a manufacturing execution system and database design consultant.

In his spare time, Ellisen enjoys boxing, writing, sketching and bicycling.

More

Thought Leadership

Speaking Engagements

“2018 NALP/ALFDP Diversity & Inclusion Summit,” National Association for Law Placement and the Association of Law Firm Diversity Professionals (June 8, 2018)

“Artificial Intelligence, Block Chain, 3D Printing & Internet of Things, Risks and Liabilities When Technology Leaps Ahead of Law,” 2018 National Bar Association – Commercial Law Section (February 15, 2018)

“Insights from Diverse Managing Partners & In-House Lawyers on Career Advancement,” American Intellectual Property Law Association (December 12, 2017)

Recognition

Recognized as “Most Influential Black Lawyers” by Savoy (2022)

Recognized as a “Diversity Champion” by the World IP Review (2021)  

Recognized as one of Los Angeles' Minority Leaders of Influence by the Los Angeles Business Journal (2021)

Recognized as one of Los Angeles’ leading professionals in their 40’s by the Los Angeles Business Journal (2020) 

Recipient of the California Minority Counsel Program (CMCP) Law Firm Diversity Leader Award (2019)

Recognized in The Legal 500 United States for Patent Litigation: Full Coverage (2020, 2022) and Patent Litigation: International Trade Commission (2020) 

Recognized for Litigation in the IAM Patent 1000: The World’s Leading Patent Professionals (2020)

Recognized as a “MCCA Rainmaker” by the Minority Corporate Counsel Association (2020)

Recognized among The Best Lawyers in America (2019–2023)

Ranked in Intellectual Property (Patent) in Chambers USA (2019–2022)

Named to the Los Angeles Business Journal's list of the “LA500: The Most Influential People in Los Angeles” (2020–2022)

Recognized among the 40 “Most Influential Minority Attorneys” in Los Angeles by the Los Angeles Business Journal

Recognized as a “Trailblazer Under 40” by the National Bar Association

Named “Patent Litigation Lawyer of the Year” by the Century City Bar Association (2014)

Recognized as one of the top 20 lawyers in California under the age of 40 by the Daily Journal

Named a “Rising Star” and one of the five intellectual property lawyers under 40 in the country to watch by Law360

Recognized as a finalist for the Los Angeles Business Journal’s Intellectual Property “Leaders in Law” award (2017)

Named to the Southern California Super Lawyers list (2014–2019)

Named to the Super Lawyers Rising Star lists in intellectual property litigation (2007–2013)

Memberships & Affiliations

Los Angeles County Committee, Regional Judicial Selection Advisory Committee

Credentials

Admissions & Qualifications

  • California
  • Registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office

Courts

  • United States District Court for the Central District of California
  • United States District Court for the Northern District of California
  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of California
  • United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
  • Supreme Court of the United States

Education

  • University of Michigan Law SchoolJ.D.cum laude

    Contributing Editor, University of Michigan Law Review

    Clarence Darrow Scholar

    Member of the board, Campbell Moot Court Competition

    Honorary member, Scribes Journal of Legal Writing

  • University of Southern CaliforniaB.S., Computer Engineering/Computer Sciencemagna cum laude

    Trustee’s Scholar

    Dean’s List

    National Achievement Scholarship from Rohm and Haas Company

    Associated Students of Biomedical Engineering