Colin Heideman

Colin Heideman is a seasoned patent litigator with a focus on defending technology and medical device companies in complex, high-stakes disputes. His practice encompasses a wide array of technology areas, including conversational voice user interfaces, natural language processing, voice-targeted advertising, and general software and AI technologies, as well as pharmaceutical cases under the Hatch-Waxman Act. While he has appeared as lead counsel for plaintiffs, such as Amazon.com Services LLC, his work often involves challenging asserted patents on behalf of operating companies, aligning with his stated focus on defending technology clients.

Heideman recently joined Morgan Lewis as a patent litigation partner in September 2025, bringing with him over two decades of experience. Prior to this move, he was a long-standing partner at Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear, where he began his career as an associate in 2005. His experience spans appearances in U.S. district courts, the Federal Circuit, and before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB).

Among his notable engagements, Heideman represented Amazon in several significant matters. This included successfully steering Amazon through inter partes review (IPR) proceedings before the PTAB, where claims of three patents related to video annotation playback were invalidated, a decision later affirmed by the Federal Circuit. He also represented Amazon in patent litigation concerning natural language processing, securing a summary judgment of invalidity that was affirmed on appeal, and prevailed on non-infringement at the Federal Circuit in litigation over Echo smart speakers. In the case of Amazon.com Services LLC et al. v. VB Assets LLC, involving patents on voice AI technology, he acted as lead counsel for Amazon. While a jury initially awarded damages against Amazon, subsequent Federal Circuit appeals in related cases brought by VB Assets were dismissed for lack of jurisdiction, leaving the merits unresolved. Heideman has served as lead counsel in numerous IPR proceedings.

Heideman earned his J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School, where he was a member of the Vanderbilt Law Review, and holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering, with distinction, from the University of Alberta. He is admitted to practice and is an active member of the Washington State Patent Lawyers Association and the Federal Circuit Bar Association.