Latham & Watkins

Firm overview:

Latham & Watkins is considered by its counterparts to belong to an “elite” peer group of firms doing trade secrets work; it’s at “the top end” of the market, says a peer. The firm is known for its prominent role in high-stakes trade secrets matters, particularly those with cross-border implications, with an integrated, trial-ready team that operates across the US and beyond.

The firm assists a stellar list of clients in the technology and life sciences industries with developing programmes for protecting trade secrets and managing risks, counselling on how to avoid being named as a defendant in trade secrets claims and enforcing and defending claims when they arise.

Significant matters the team has handled include representing Shenzhen Senior Technology in a near $1 billion global IP dispute against Celgard regarding battery separators (key components of lithium-ion batteries), which had implications for the entire electric vehicle industry, and fending off a $260 million trade secrets claim from Alcoa for Universal Alloy Corporation (UAC) related to airplane wing parts.

Team overview:

A peer describes the departures of Doug Lumish and Jeff Homrig to Weil in August 2025 as “a big blow” to Latham. Renowned litigator and trade secrets expert Lumish, and former vice chair of Latham’s IP Litigation practice Homrig, joined Latham along with Gabe Gross, who also specialises in tech and life sciences disputes.

Shortly after news of the group move it was announced that IP litigators Chris Henry and Gaby LaHatte had also left Latham for Weil.

However, there is sentiment among peers that Latham has “a deep bench” despite the moves, which are so recent that it remains to be seen how they will affect both teams.

Talent at the firm includes litigation partner Matthew Walch (Chicago), who is “deserving of recognition” for his global impact and legal insights on trade secrets according to an industry peer. Walch has more than 25 years’ experience litigating trade secrets, advertising, trademark, and copyright matters to successful resolution in federal and state courts as well as arbitration, and has represented leading brands in critical disputes.

Other key members of the team include partner Jennifer Barry (San Diego), who has a number of household name brands and celebrities among her client portfolio and formerly chaired the firm’s global IP Litigation Practice, and first-chair litigator Anthony Sammi (New York), who has expertise in highly technical and complex trade secrets, trademark and copyright matters at the trial and appellate levels.

Silicon Valley associate Arman Zahoory is singled out by an industry counterpart as an “excellent practitioner” who is “steeped” in the areas of trade secrets law. Zahoory represents clients in matters involving trade secrets and other IP claims, breach of contract disputes, and securities and consumer class actions.

Key matters:

• ArcLight Capital Partners: Trade secrets litigation related to oil refining acquisition

Latham represents long-standing client ArcLight in trade secrets litigation related to the acquisition of Hovensa oil refinery on St. Croix, USVI. The lawsuit, initially seeking nearly $3 billion in damages, was brought by Atlantic Basic Refining (ABR), a USVI company that sought to partner with ArcLight in the attempted acquisition. After the deal fell through—and the refinery was sold through a bankruptcy auction—ABR made accusations that ArcLight misused ABR’s confidential information about Hovensa and its various environmental liabilities.

Latham earlier achieved dismissal of all but three counts of ABR’s claim and ArcLight is vigorously disputing that any confidential information has been misused. The parties have engaged in settlement discussions but ArcLight intends to bring its defences to trial in USVI.

New York partners Anthony Sammi and Rachel Blitzer lead the team for Latham.

• MicroVention v Balt

Latham advised Balt, a medical equipment manufacturer specialising in medical devices designed to treat brain aneurysms, in a trade secret dispute involving MicroVention in the Central District of California.

Latham was retained to take over the matters from prior counsel on the eve of trial, and guided the client to a favourable settlement.

In conjunction with the trade secrets dispute, Latham advised Balt in a patent dispute involving MicroVention in the same forum. Here, too, Latham was retained on the eve of trial to take over the matter from prior counsel, and guided the client to a favourable settlement.

Latham’s team was led by partners Douglas Lumish (Silicon Valley / San Francisco), Jeff Homrig (Austin), Patricia Young (New York / Silicon Valley) and Christopher Henry (Boston), and also included counsel Joseph Lee (Orange County), and associates Ryan Owen (Orange County / New York) and Russell Mangas (Chicago).

• Soelect v Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) and Soelect v Hyundai America Technical Center Inc (HATCI)

Soelect filed separate actions against HATCI and HMC in the Northern District of Illinois and the Northern District of California, respectively. Both actions stem from Soelect’s claim that HATCI breached a material transfer and test agreement (MTA) relating to high-power lithium metal batteries, and that HMC misappropriated the composition of certain lithium metal battery materials subject to the MTA.

Latham secured an early victory for client HMC in September 2024 when the California action was dismissed with prejudice. The court also rejected Soelect’s request to be given leave to amend its complaint, bringing the district court action to a close.

The action against HATCI in Illinois was scheduled for a damages trial in November 2024.

HMC is a global leader in developing battery technologies for the automotive industry and is challenging any claims made by Soelect regarding its testing and development of such battery technologies. Latham was engaged to take over for prior counsel in the Illinois action and handled all aspects of the defence of the California action.

Lead partners for the matter are Douglas Lumish (Silicon Valley / San Francisco), Matthew Walch (Chicago) and Christopher Henry (Boston), with support from associates Melanie Grindle (San Diego) and Robert Dunteman (Washington, DC).

Clients:

ArcLight Capital Partners, Avadel CNS Pharmaceuticals, Balt, Beacon Technologies, CCC Intelligent Solutions, CoStar Group, and CoStar Realty Information, Hyundai Motor Company, Hyundai America Technical Center, Kandji, Shenzhen Senior Technology Material, Sorrento Therapeutics, Scilex Pharmaceuticals, Universal Alloy Corporation, Vade (f/k/a Vade Secure), XP Power