Rebecca Carson

Rebecca Carson is a highly experienced patent litigator and partner at Irell & Manella LLP, specializing in complex intellectual property and technology disputes. Her practice encompasses a wide array of technology areas, including computer networking, software, semiconductors, medical devices, cloud-based data storage, computer memory, cybersecurity, Wi-Fi technology, tactile feedback, and OLED display technology.

Carson represents both plaintiffs and defendants in high-stakes patent infringement cases. While the provided case list shows appearances on the defendant side for Pictiva Displays International Ltd. and Juniper Networks, Inc., her broader practice includes significant plaintiff-side victories. Notable defense-side outcomes include securing a complete win for Juniper Networks against Finjan Inc., which was recognized as a Top Defense Verdict in 2018 and resulted in Finjan covering nearly $6 million in legal fees. She also helped defeat a $217 million damages claim for ZOLL Medical Corp. related to defibrillator technology.

On the plaintiff side, Carson was a core member of trial teams that secured substantial jury verdicts for Netlist, Inc., including $445 million against Micron Technology Inc. and $303 million against Samsung Electronics Co., for willful infringement of computer memory technology patents. She also achieved a $240 million jury verdict for StreamScale, Inc. against Cloudera, Inc. concerning cloud-based data storage patents and contributed to a $191 million jury verdict for Pictiva Displays International Ltd. against Samsung for OLED technology infringement. Additionally, she assisted in securing a $175 million settlement for Juniper Networks from Palo Alto Networks in patent litigation involving firewall and network security technologies.

Carson possesses significant experience before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, having argued cases before both bodies. She successfully argued an inter partes review (IPR) before the PTAB, leading to a Federal Circuit affirmance of patent invalidity in a case involving Juniper Networks, and secured the complete denial of an IPR petition for NxStage, Inc. related to dialysis technology. She joined Irell & Manella LLP in 2007 and is currently a partner and co-hiring partner for the firm's Newport Beach office.

Rebecca Carson was admitted to the State Bar of California in 2007. She earned her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2007 and her B.A., summa cum laude, from the University of San Diego in 2004.