Jie Gao

Jie Gao is an intellectual property litigation attorney at Irell & Manella LLP, where her practice encompasses complex patent disputes before district courts, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), and the International Trade Commission (ITC). Her technical background, including a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering Sciences, informs her work across various technology disciplines.

Ms. Gao has demonstrated experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants in high-stakes patent matters. While her tracked appearance includes defending Pictiva Displays International Ltd. against Unified Patents, she was also a key member of the Irell team that secured a significant $191 million jury award for Pictiva Displays International against Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. in November 2025. This victory involved claims of willful infringement related to OLED technology patents used in smartphones, TVs, and laptops.

Her experience extends to patent prosecution and intellectual asset analysis, having previously worked as a patent agent for a Fortune 500 company. Her practice at Irell & Manella includes PTAB proceedings, and she gained insight into appellate practice through an externship with the Hon. Jimmie Reyna of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Ms. Gao earned her J.D. from Columbia Law School, where she was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, and holds a Ph.D. from the University of Florida. She is admitted to practice in California and New York, as well as before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.