Dena Chen

Dena Chen is a partner in the intellectual property litigation group at Cooley LLP, where she focuses on complex patent disputes. Her practice covers a wide array of technologies, including augmented reality, video games, computer software, artificial intelligence, semiconductor chips, and medical devices. Based on her professional profile and tracked cases, Ms. Chen exclusively represents clients on the defense side, often in high-stakes litigation for Fortune 500 companies.

Ms. Chen has spent her entire legal career at Cooley, joining as a summer associate in 2011 and being elected to the partnership effective January 2022. Her practice includes significant trial and Federal Circuit appellate work. In the tracked case NantWorks, LLC v. Niantic, Inc., she was part of the Cooley team that successfully defended Niantic against patent infringement claims related to its augmented reality games. The team secured a Federal Circuit affirmance in April 2026 of district court decisions invalidating the asserted patents. Ms. Chen was also on a team that obtained a significant summary judgment victory for Qualcomm in a separate patent infringement lawsuit.

In addition to her district court and appellate practice, Ms. Chen has considerable experience in post-grant proceedings, regularly handling inter partes review (IPR) proceedings before the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). She also litigates before the International Trade Commission (ITC). Prior to becoming a partner, she clerked for Judge William Alsup of the US District Court for the Northern District of California.

Ms. Chen is admitted to the California bar. She earned both her JD (2012) and BA (2009) from the University of California, Berkeley.