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| St. Onge Steward Johnston & Reens LLC |
Practice Areas
Client Stories
Early disposition of cases for clients
SSJR’s litigation expertise in patent law often results in early disposition of cases for its clients before a case gets to trial. For example, in Luma v Karl Storz Endoscopy America, SSJR was able to successfully acquire rulings on summary judgment motions for non-infringement and invalidity with respect to the claims of U.S. Patent No. 5,740,801 being asserted against its client KSEA. The patent related to a system for storing and displaying images during a medical procedure. The Court compared KSEA’s accused products against the claims of the patent and found that 53 of the 55 claims of the ’801 patent were not infringed. The Court went on to find that the remaining two claims of the ’801 patent were invalid based on a prior art patent that was never considered by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, but which was brought to the Court’s attention by SSJR. The Court’s ruling resulted in a complete victory including an award of costs to KSEA.
Overrule of long standing precedent
SSJR’s litigation expertise extends to its appellate practice. In Knorr-Bremse v. Dana, et al, when SSJR client Haldex was faced with a finding of willful infringement, SSJR recognized the law was unfairly treating defendants in patent cases and challenged the law on appeal. On appeal, SSJR was able to convince the entire Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit to overrule its own long standing precedent. In a virtually unanimous opinion, the court overruled its own long standing precedent in holding that no adverse inference may be drawn against an alleged infringer from either failure to obtain or produce an exculpatory opinion of counsel. The ruling resulted in the willfulness finding against Haldex being reversed and has been considered by some to be one of the most influential rulings in the history of the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affecting patent law.
Litigation
A company’s intellectual property is arguably its most valuable asset. For over 100 years, start-ups and multi-billion dollar enterprises worldwide have turned to SSJR for strategic intellectual property counsel, litigation and protection. A boutique firm specializing exclusively in IP law, we don’t dabble in diverse practice areas attempting to be all things to all people like larger firms. Rather, we focus intensely and intelligently on what we know best — IP law.
Accomplished litigators, SSJR lawyers bring innovative thinking, clear focus and competence to each case. We help resolve your hotly contested disputes, venturing well beyond any challenges at hand to identify and capitalize on often-unforeseen opportunities. Our attorneys bring a rare combination of top-notch litigation expertise and solid business acumen to your most pressing legal matters. Experienced in handling major cases against law firms of all sizes, we don’t resort to a standard course of action simply because it’s convenient or incurs billable hours. Instead, we scrutinize the relevant facts surrounding a matter, identify and leverage the often-overlooked legal nuances of relevant statutes, and when appropriate, rewrite the law.
At SSJR, we are as well versed in risk management as cost containment. We know that high legal bills do not guarantee success, nor do they ensure that an experienced lawyer is handling your case. Our skilled attorneys build uncommonly close, open partnerships with clients. Communication and integration are fundamental to our practice and significantly contribute to our success. From litigating intricate patent cases to analyzing IP portfolios, we bring extraordinary legal sophistication, personal attention and the highest integrity to each situation.