Mr. Siddhartha Venkatesan’s
practice focuses on high stakes, highly complex patent and trade secrets litigation on behalf of technology companies located in Silicon Valley and internationally. Mr. Venkatesan has represented clients in federal and state trial and appellate courts as well as before the International Trade Commission.
A former engineer at two high tech startups, Mr. Venkatesan also counsels technology companies on their intellectual property portfolios and prelitigation matters as well as representing companies in IP licensing. Mr. Venkatesan devotes a substantial amount of time to pro bono matters as well.
Mr. Venkatesan has had the privilege of serving the County of Santa Clara as a volunteer Deputy District Attorney.
Some notable engagements include the following:
Patent and Trade Secrets
Brocade Communications Systems In Brocade v. A10, Mr. Venkatesan was part of a team that obtained a US$112M verdict against Brocade’s competitor as well as two permanent injunctions following a three week jury trial on Brocade’s patent, trade secrets and copyright claims in the Northern District of California. Mr. Venkatesan has also represented Brocade in multiple other complex multi-patent litigations as well as licensing matters involving core internet communication technologies.
Tekmira Pharmaceuticals - Represented a Canadian biotechnology company in two bet-the-company trade secrets and breach of contract cases brought against competitors. The first case settled in favor of Tekmira predecessor Protiva following a multiple-day hearing in California state court that resulted in a preliminary injunction protecting Protiva’s trade secrets. The second case resolved through a favorable settlement days before jury selection in Massachusetts state court.
Applied Materials, Inc. - Represented a leading semiconductor equipment manufacturer in a contract and inventorship technology dispute in a bench trial in the Central District of California. Case settled for a tiny fraction of the claimed damages.
Nanya Technology Corp. - Successfully defended a leading DRAM manufacturer at trial in the U.S. ITC in a patent infringement case brought by Tessera, Inc. The Respondents’ victory in this investigation was a reversal of Tessera’s long track record of success enforcing the chip packaging patents that were at issue against other companies in the DRAM industry. The Orrick team in this case successfully obtained a ruling sustaining the victory on appeal.
Synopsys, Inc. - Represented a leading electonic design automation tool provider in technical trade secrets litigation against a departing employee that went to a competitor.
eBay, Inc. - Represented the leading online auction site in adversarial technology licensing matters.
Foxconn, Inc. - Represented a leading electrical connector company in a multi-patent dispute involving ball grid array mechanical circuit board connectors.
Appellate & Pro Bono
Ocegueda et al.- Currently representing a class of nearly a hundred homeowners that have allegedly been victim of a loan modification scam in conjunction with the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley and Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights.
Ricky Fox v. Billy Ray Vice - Represented Mr. Fox on appeal from the Fifth Circuit to the United States Supreme Court, raising an attorneys’ fees issue that had divided the lower courts. Mr. Fox obtained certioriari review and had the adverse judgment of the Fifth Circuit reversed by the Supreme Court.
Commerce Energy, Inc. Co-counsel on a Supreme Court merits brief on behalf of a foreign energy company challenging unequal treatment by a state tax scheme.
ACLU. Co-counseled with the ACLU of Texas on an amicus brief setting forth First Amendment grounds in support of a challenge by citizen groups against a parade ordinance statute.
Lawrence Friedman, et. al. Represented legal historians in amicus briefing to the United States Supreme Court setting forth historical precedent in support of petitioner in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, 548 U.S. 557 (2006).
Gary Morris. Represented Mr. Morris pro bono in his allegations of predatory lending and other business torts arising out of a real estate transaction. Favorable settlement.
Imogene Wenneberg. Represented an 81-year-old woman pro bono in her allegations of predatory lending and other business torts arising out of a real estate transaction. Favorable settlement.
Mr. Venkatesan has authored many articles describing emerging intellectual property issues and IP strategy.
Mr. Venkatesan was a professional software developer and technology consultant at both startup companies and mature technology companies prior to attending law school. He has developed technical expertise in leading Web development programming languages and platforms, and has particular expertise with supply chain management applications. Mr. Venkatesan has also developed deep technical expertise in the semiconductor and life sciences industries.
Mr. Venkatesan received a B.S. in mechanical and aerospace engineering from Cornell University concentrating in automotive engineering. While at Cornell, Mr. Venkatesan was a team leader in a student group that designed and built a prototype hybrid electric vehicle from the ground up. Mr. Venkatesan received a J.D. from the New York University School of Law.
