Giri Pathmanaban

Giri Pathmanaban is a highly experienced patent litigator focusing on high-stakes patent, trade secret, and intellectual property contractual disputes. Leveraging a technical background in computer science and engineering, his practice spans a wide array of technology areas, including cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and machine learning, semiconductors, computer networking and electronic devices, internet and cloud computing, and medical devices and healthcare.

Pathmanaban represents both operating companies and other clients, handling cases "on both sides of the 'v'" in federal district courts, the International Trade Commission (ITC), and Patent Office proceedings. He joined Cleary Gottlieb as a partner in March 2025. Prior to Cleary Gottlieb, he was a partner at Latham & Watkins for eight years and spent over 13 years at the firm. His earlier career included roles as an associate at Vinson & Elkins and Weil, Gotshal & Manges. He is also noted for his regular involvement in inter partes review (IPR) and other Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) proceedings, often quoted on related procedural developments.

His notable representations include securing a dismissal of all patent claims for Amazon in a cloud computing case, obtaining summary judgment of invalidity for GlobalFoundries in a semiconductor design software case, and achieving a favorable settlement for TSMC in an ITC proceeding involving semiconductor fabrication technology. He has also successfully defended Abbott in multiple medical device patent cases, including securing a favorable jury verdict against DexCom and forcing a voluntary dismissal from ISS after successful IPR petitions. Additionally, he led Amphenol in successful PTAB final hearings that invalidated four asserted patents.

Pathmanaban earned his J.D. from Columbia Law School, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, an M.S. from the University of Michigan, and a B.E. from PSG College of Technology. He is admitted to practice in California, New York, Texas, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, various U.S. District Courts, and before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.