Richard M. Birnholz

Richard M. Birnholz is a partner at Irell & Manella LLP in Los Angeles with a practice focused on high-stakes patent litigation. His experience spans a variety of technology sectors, including computer hardware and software, digital video recorders (DVRs), and medical devices. Public records show his work on matters involving AI-driven speech and accent translation software for Sanas.AI Inc. in its litigation against Krisp Technologies, Inc. While the tracked case list shows a recent appearance for a plaintiff, his firm biography indicates a broader practice representing both plaintiffs and defendants in complex patent disputes.

Mr. Birnholz has litigated significant cases for major technology companies. He was counsel for TiVo in its successful DVR patent litigation against EchoStar, which resulted in a jury verdict of willful infringement, an award of $74 million in damages, and ultimately a $500 million settlement. He also represented Immersion Corporation in patent infringement suits concerning tactile feedback technology against Sony and Microsoft, leading to settlements of approximately $150 million and $26 million, respectively. His work for plaintiffs has also included representing IpVenture in litigation over computer thermal management patents, where he secured a reversal of an adverse ownership ruling at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. On the defense side, he has represented clients such as Atmel and Lucas Digital.

Throughout his career at Irell & Manella, Mr. Birnholz has been involved in proceedings before the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). His experience includes representing Immersion in multiple inter partes review (IPR) proceedings against Apple related to haptic feedback technology patents. He has also been appointed as counsel in IPR proceedings for other clients, such as Columbia University, and has co-authored articles on IPR strategy.

Mr. Birnholz earned his J.D. from the UCLA School of Law in 1990, where he was on the editorial board of the law review, and a B.A. from Stanford University in 1987. He was admitted to the State Bar of California in 1990. Before joining his firm, he clerked for Judge Pamela Ann Rymer of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and served as an extern for then-Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.