Geoff Howard has served as lead trial counsel in a broad range of high-profile intellectual property and commercial litigation cases, including most recently in one of the United States’ largest copyright infringement and Computer Fraud and Abuse Act cases.
Recognized as a leading lawyer in IP — Trademark, Copyright and Trade Secret Law by Chambers USA for the last several years, clients describe Geoff as “incredibly smart, extremely responsive, tireless and skilled at all aspects of litigation, including trial,” “an excellent writer and a superb oral advocate” and “a good strategist, with sound business sense.” They note that “he understands our business and interacts very well with our executives.” In 2011, California Lawyer magazine named Geoff a California Lawyer of the Year. The Daily Journal has named him one of the Top 75 IP Lawyers in California every year since 2010.
Geoff successfully has tried several cases to jury verdict. His substantive emphasis covers virtually all aspects of technology litigation, including software and hardware, Internet intrusion, telecommunications and social media. Geoff has prosecuted and defended cases involving claims for copyright infringement, computer fraud, unfair competition, trade secrets, patent and trademark infringement, regulatory issues, business torts, and putative class actions. He has litigated cases in a wide range of industries, including computer technology, medical devices, telecommunications, beverage and food distribution, building products, healthcare, financial services, beauty products, professional sports and construction. He also has authored several pieces of legislation and testified in support of them.
Geoff served on Bingham McCutchen’s Management Committee, and also served as a former co-chair of Bingham’s Litigation Area, Intellectual Property Group, and Complex and Class Action Litigation Group. He served as the San Francisco Office Managing Partner from 2007 to 2012, and the Northern California Managing Partner from 2009 to 2012.
Geoff serves as a volunteer mediator for the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of California. He clerked for the Hon. Samuel Conti, the U.S. District Court Judge for the Northern District of California.
