Jeanne M. Heffernan

Jeanne M. Heffernan is a highly experienced patent litigation attorney and a partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP, where she leads the firm's IP litigation practice in Texas. Her practice spans a broad range of technology areas, including computer networking, telecommunications, cryptography, semiconductors, computer software and hardware, medical devices, and agricultural equipment. She primarily focuses on defending operating companies against patent infringement allegations, having been counsel in four defendant-side cases in her tracked appearances. However, she also has experience representing plaintiffs, as evidenced by one tracked plaintiff-side case and multiple successful outcomes on behalf of patent holders.

Throughout her career, Ms. Heffernan has been with Kirkland & Ellis, initially practicing for 20 years in the firm's New York office before relocating to launch the Austin IP litigation practice. She has secured numerous patent infringement trial victories in federal district courts and at the International Trade Commission, often affirmed by the Federal Circuit. Notable successes include obtaining summary judgment of non-infringement, affirmed on appeal, for a leading telecommunications carrier in a case seeking over $200 million, and a complete defense victory for a software company by securing summary judgment of invalidity on five patents prior to trial. She also achieved a significant jury award of nearly $20 million, ongoing royalties, and doubled damages for a medical device maker. Her successful defense of a world's largest medical device maker in a "rocket-docket" district, where a plaintiff sought over $1 billion in damages, involved striking the plaintiff's damages expert and securing summary judgment of non-infringement on key claims just weeks before trial.

Ms. Heffernan's comprehensive IP litigation practice includes experience before the U.S. Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), indicating her involvement in post-grant proceedings and strategic considerations related to inter partes reviews. She is recognized for her work by publications such as Chambers USA, Managing Intellectual Property, The Legal 500 United States, and IAM Patent 1000, and has been named a "Client Service All-Star" by BTI Consulting Group. She earned her J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School, an A.M. from the University of Chicago, and a B.A. from the University of Notre Dame.