Paul Hastings
Firm overview:
Paul Hastings is known for handling large-scale, multi-jurisdictional IP litigation matters. Its reputation for taking on seemingly “unwinnable” cases and winning them leads major new clients to the firm, some of which take advantage of its cross-border capabilities.
The firm is particularly strong in the area of post-grant proceedings, where it handles large and complex cases. The team has clinched significant victories at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) for tech giants Google, Meta, Samsung, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, as well as major life sciences players including AbbVie, Genentech, Merck, and Daiichi Sankyo.
However, the firm’s breadth of practice means it has significant experience across the board, with a track record of success from common patent forums, such as the Northern, Central and Southern Districts of California and the District of Delaware, to the US Supreme Court. Many of the team are former Federal Circuit and other law clerks, contributing to a solid appellate practice focused on clients’ business-critical matters.
Team overview:
Global IP co-chairs Eric Dittmann and Naveen Modi are both widely recognised for their contributions in the IP field. Modi, an expert in challenging and defending patents before the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), has been involved in close to 1,000 post-grant proceedings. Dittmann is a go-to first-chair attorney in patent litigations, arbitrations and post-grant proceedings involving a range of technologies.
Litigation partner Bruce Wexler, based in New York, has represented clients as lead counsel in matters involving multi-million and multi-billion dollar drug products.
Robert Unikel heads up the Chicago and Midwest IP practice, and has a diverse practice that includes litigating patent, trade secret and trademark cases in a variety of industries.
Key matters:
- Full sweep for MSD in dispute over world’s best-selling drug
Paul Hastings client MSD (known as Merck & Co in the US and Canada) scored a full victory in all nine challenges it instigated to patents belonging to John Hopkins University as part of a wider dispute over the world’s top-selling drug, Keytruda.
The final win, in November 2025, came at a critical time for MSD as the US compound patent for Keytruda expires in 2028, with European protection ending in 2031.
A Paul Hastings team of Naveen Modi, Bruce Wexler, Preston Ratliff and Daniel Zeilberger represented MSD in the PTAB proceedings.
- Novartis Pharma v Incyte
In May 2025, Novartis and Incyte settled their five-year dispute over a licence agreement for a blood cancer treatment, the day before the trial was due to begin. The dispute centred on ruxolitinib, a kinase inhibitor which Incyte sold in the US as Jakafi.
Counsel from Paul Hastings and Quinn Emanuel represented Incyte in the proceedings.
- Allergan v Revance
In July 2025 a federal jury awarded an AbbVie unit $56 million in damages after finding that a rival’s anti-wrinkle treatment infringed patents covering botulinum toxin technology. The verdict, delivered on July 18, upheld patents protecting Allergan’s Botox product and awarded damages based on sales of Revance Therapeutic’s anti-wrinkle treatment Daxxify.
Allergan was represented by Eric Dittmann, Melanie Rupert and Isaac Ashkenazi from Paul Hastings.
Clients:
Clients: Abbvie, Incyte, MSD (Merck & Co)
