DLA Piper
Firm overview:
Known for its massive international footprint, DLA Piper is recognised for handling complex, multi-jurisdictional patent matters. The firm’s patent attorneys work closely with its litigation group to secure the best coverage for clients’ innovations, focusing on strategic prosecution; obtaining enforceable claims issued at the least expense. Over 50 of its lawyers are registered with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
On the contentious side, DLA Piper is cited as being among the top US firms most frequently hired to defend patent litigation. The team has experience in all the major jurisdictions in the US, including the International Trade Commission (ITC), and further afield in newer venues such as the Unified Patent Court (UPC).
Team overview:
Erin Gibson chairs the firm’s ITC practice, and is global co-chair of the Technology sector. Gibson has handled more than 50 ITC cases, including matters for leading technology companies, and has represented clients including Hewlett-Packard, Ricoh, Netlist and Microsoft in patent litigation.
Lawyers recognised for their patent expertise at the firm include first-chair trial lawyer Sean Cunningham, global co-chair and US chair of the Intellectual Property & Technology practice, who has represented clients including Microsoft, Lenovo and Motorola in ITC investigations and district court cases.
Changes to the patent team in the past year include Ferlillia Roberson’s move to Blank Rome; Soumitra Deka’s departure to Squire Patton Boggs; and Susan Krumplitsch’s move to Womble Bond Dickinson.
A number of partners who moved to DLA Piper in 2023 from Dentons as part of a 30-strong team left the firm in 2025. According to their LinkedIn profiles, Brian Ho and Randy Omid are founding partners of YHE Law, an IP law firm specialising in patent prosecution; Chris Eide and Parker Kuhl also left DLA Piper to become partners at the new firm.
Key matters:
- Securing a patent for Silicon Storage Technology
DLA Piper is the law firm associated by the USPTO with the granting of a patent for System and Method for Implementing Temperature Compensation in a Memory Device for San Jose, CA-based Silicon Storage Technology (SST).
SST is the innovator of SuperFlash and memBrain memory technology, a highly reliable and versatile NOR Flash memory for computers.
The patent abstract describes: “A method of operating memory cells includes programming memory cells at a first temperature to different program states associated with first read current values confirmed by using nominal read conditions.”
- PTAB victory for ResMed
A DLA Piper team of Tiffany Miller, Edward Sikorski and James Heintz represented medical technology company ResMed in patent litigation concerning sleep apnoea technology.
In May 2025, the PTAB ruled that ResMed had successfully argued that a US patent held by Cleveland Medical Devices was unpatentable.
Cleveland had claimed its patent had been infringed by ResMed’s sleep apnoea diagnostic and therapy devices.
- Walk away ITC patent litigation victory for NXP Semiconductors
Erin Gibson, global co-chair, Technology sector and chair of the International Trade Commission practice, served as first-chair ITC trial counsel for global semiconductor leader NXP Semiconductors.
The complaint was withdrawn entirely less than a week before trial in April 2024, leading to a walk-away victory for NXP.
Clients:
Dyson, Maxon Computer, Maxim Integrated Products, NXP Semiconductors, ResMed, Silicon Storage Technology, Toray Industries, WD-40
