The World's Leading Lawyers for Business 2006: Intellectual Property
On an annual basis, Chambers Global conducts extensive research and thorough data analysis in compiling their objective list of legal talent available at the highest level of international legal practice.
Their research methodology has been independently audited and confirmed to be thorough, robust and complete.
In Chambers' 2006 review of international legal talent in the area of "Intellectual Property," our Firm is listed among the best in the world.
Kirkland partners Bob Krupka and John Desmarais were selected asleading individuals in this area.
Chambers Comments:
USA Ranking: 1
The Firm: Headquartered in Chicago, this litigation supremo fields about 200 IP lawyers across its network, many of them in Los Angeles and San Francisco. It was praised as a "destination for those with crucial, complex problems" and as the home of "knowledgeable and gifted" lawyers with a "tremendous span of proficiency." The team has impressed not only as talented IP litigators but also as trial lawyers. "Both the older and younger lawyers there are extremely competent," clients said. "They really are a great bunch across the board." A wide range of IP disputes and counseling is handled, but the group was particularly recommended for its "fabulous trial work" and its involvement in some of the "most significant matters in the field." Representing America's largest companies in significant patent and other technology litigation, the team played a role in one of the firm's highlights of the year: Amazon's summary judgment in a patent infringement case filed by IPXL Holdings. A further significant development for the practice has resulted from its work relating to Internet and e-commerce. It advised AOL Time Warner (now Time Warner) in the so-called Browser Wars action against Microsoft. At stake were antitrust issues involving PC operating systems.
The Lawyers: Bob Krupka heads the practice here and is widely considered to be "one of the foremost IP lawyers" in the country. According to interviewees, his position is based upon his "remarkable knowledge and great international connections," as well as his "skill at presenting a case in an understandable way, even if it is a complex high-tech matter." One client even went so far as to describe him as the "best patent draftsman around." Krupka secured a jury verdict worth more than $580 million for Karlin Technology and Dr. Gary K. Michelson in a patent infringement case brought by Memphis-based Medtronic Sofamor Danek, a subsidiary of Medtronic. John Desmarais enjoys an outstanding reputation as a hard-nosed warrior with "great legal acumen." This "very effective IP lawyer" was instrumental in the firm's March 2005 victory for Infineon Technologies and Infineon Technologies North America, following a five-year patent infringement battle with Rambus.
Clients/Work Highlights: Apple; Honeywell; Motorola; Pioneer; Schering-Plough; Cable & Computer Technology; Brown & Williamson Tobacco; Motorola; Dow Corning; Hermes International; Honeywell Aerospace; Alcon Laboratories; Siemens and Whirlpool.
Reprinted with permission from Chambers & Partners: The World's Leading Lawyers for Business 2005 - www.chambersandpartners.com.