Litigation
Untitled case
Litigation2:25-cv-00029
Patents at issue (1)
Summary
A US District Court case related to US Patent 11164456 was filed in the Texas Eastern District Court under case number 2:25-cv-00029 and is currently active.
Case overview & background
Plain-language overview of the case: parties, accused product, patents at issue, and why the suit matters.
The patent infringement litigation, an "Untitled case" with case number 2:25-cv-00029, is active in the Eastern District of Texas. While public records for this specific case number in the Eastern District of Texas primarily show "CARMA TECHNOLOGY, CORP. et al v. Uber Technologies Inc." concerning ridesharing technology, the authoritative case metadata provided for this analysis specifies that US Patent 11164456 is at issue. Given this discrepancy, the parties directly associated with the assertion of US Patent 11164456 under this exact case number and court could not be definitively identified through publicly available records at this time. Therefore, the specific plaintiff and defendant remain unspecified for this particular "Untitled case" involving patent 11164456.
US Patent 11164456, titled "Methods and systems for securing and managing funds and accounts," generally describes a financial technology system for managing and securing funds across various accounts. It covers aspects of transaction processing, user authentication, and fund allocation within a digital financial environment. The accused product or service, inferred from the patent's claims, would likely involve digital banking platforms, payment processing systems, or other financial technology services that manage customer funds and transactions. Without identified parties, a specific accused product cannot be named, but it would fall within the fintech sector.
The procedural posture places this litigation in the Eastern District of Texas, a venue historically recognized for its plaintiff-friendly rules and accelerated trial schedules, often referred to as a "rocket docket" for patent cases. Although the Supreme Court's TC Heartland decision in 2017 significantly impacted patent venue, EDTX continues to be a prominent forum for patent litigation, including cases involving non-practicing entities (NPEs). The specific judge assigned to this "Untitled case" involving patent 11164456 is not identifiable from public records under this case number, further highlighting the current lack of detailed public information for this specific patent within the designated case. The notability of the case stems primarily from its presence in the Eastern District of Texas, a jurisdiction frequently chosen by patent owners for its procedural advantages, and the assertion of a financial technology patent, an area of growing litigation.
Key legal developments & outcome
Major rulings, motions, claim construction, settlements, and the present posture or final disposition.
Carma Technology, Corp. et al v. Uber Technologies, Inc. et al (2:25-cv-00029)
Note: While U.S. Patent 11164456 was provided as the patent at issue, public search results for case 2:25-cv-00029 in the Eastern District of Texas do not specifically identify this patent as being asserted. Instead, the litigation involves "groundbreaking ridesharing and ground transportation patents" held by Carma Technology, Corp. and Carma Technology Ltd., with specific mentions of a "five-patent lawsuit" and "the '427 and '071 patents" in other contexts related to Carma's portfolio. This summary will focus on the developments of Carma Technology, Corp. et al v. Uber Technologies, Inc. et al, which is a patent infringement case.
Key Legal Developments and Outcome:
Filing & Initial Pleadings:
- Complaint Filed (2025-01-14): Plaintiffs Carma Technology, Corp. and Carma Technology Ltd. filed a patent infringement complaint against Uber Technologies, Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division. The complaint alleges willful infringement of Carma's ridesharing and ground transportation patents, asserting that Uber had knowledge of the patents and infringing conduct since at least 2016. The case was assigned to Chief Judge Rodney Gilstrap.
Pre-trial Motions of Substance:
- Motion to Compel Venue Discovery: As of August 13, 2025, there was a sealed response filed by Uber Technologies, Inc. opposing the plaintiffs' motion to compel venue discovery. This indicates an ongoing dispute related to the proper venue for the litigation.
Claim Construction (Markman) Outcomes:
- Claim Construction Hearing Scheduled (2026-06-09): A Claim Construction Hearing (Markman hearing) has been scheduled for June 9, 2026. This indicates the case is progressing towards defining the scope of the asserted patent claims.
Discovery Milestones with Strategic Significance:
- The motion to compel venue discovery highlights an early strategic point in discovery, where parties are disputing the extent of information to be exchanged regarding venue.
Trial Events, Verdict, and Post-trial Motions:
- The case is currently active and has not yet reached trial. A Case Management Conference is scheduled for September 28, 2026.
Settlement, Dismissal, Judgment, or Appeal:
- The case is currently active ("Status: Closed" in one search result seems to be an error in the snippet as other results confirm ongoing activity with future dates). There has been no final disposition, such as settlement, dismissal, or judgment, as of the current date.
Parallel PTAB IPR/PGR Proceedings:
- The complaint alleges that Uber had knowledge of the Carma patents as early as March 2015, when a series of Uber patent applications were allegedly rejected over the Carma patents. Uber is also said to have cited Carma patents in its own patent applications. This suggests the possibility of inter partes review (IPR) proceedings or prior art challenges involving these patents, though specific IPR/PGR case numbers for the patents asserted by Carma against Uber in this litigation were not explicitly found in the provided snippets. The general mention of "five-patent lawsuit over core rideshare tech, including
network of nodesandproxy communicationclaims" suggests the patents are related to ridesharing technology.
Plaintiff representatives
Counsel of record for the plaintiff(s): attorneys, firms, and roles (lead counsel, of counsel, local counsel).
- Bunsow De Mory
- Gareth Edward DeWalt · Of Counsel
- Robin K. Curtis · Partner
- Michael E. Flynn-O'Brien · Partner
- McKool Smith
- Jennifer Leigh Truelove · Lead Counsel
- Samuel Franklin Baxter · Lead Counsel
The plaintiff(s) in Carma Technology, Corp. et al v. Uber Technologies Inc. (2:25-cv-00029) are represented by counsel from Bunsow De Mory LLP and McKool Smith, P.C..
The counsel of record identified for the plaintiff(s) includes:
Gareth Edward DeWalt
- Role: Of Counsel
- Firm: Bunsow De Mory LLP, Redwood City, CA
- Experience: A seasoned IP litigator with experience taking over a dozen cases from inception through trial in federal district courts and the International Trade Commission (ITC), and handling appeals before the Federal Circuit. He focuses on complex patent and trade secret cases across various technologies, including computer hardware, software, and telecommunications. Notable past cases include representing Sun Microsystems in a patent infringement, trade secret, and breach of contract suit in the Eastern District of Texas that resulted in a full finding for Sun.
Jennifer Leigh Truelove
- Role: Principal (likely Lead Counsel)
- Firm: McKool Smith, P.C., Marshall, TX
- Experience: Possesses extensive trial skills in intellectual property, antitrust, whistleblower, and contract disputes, with significant experience in the Eastern District of Texas. She has been involved in many high-profile trials in the EDTX and contributed to McKool Smith teams that secured five "Top 100 Verdicts" by Verdict Search/National Law Journal since 2014, accumulating over $2 billion in verdicts. Ms. Truelove was admitted to the American College of Trial Lawyers in September 2023 and played a key role in a $1.4 billion settlement for the State of Texas against Meta.
Robin K. Curtis
- Role: Partner
- Firm: Bunsow De Mory LLP, San Francisco, CA
- Experience: Specializes in complex technology litigation, including patent infringement, trademark, and trade secret cases. Her work spans various technologies, such as cellular phone user interfaces, operating systems, CMOS image sensors, and telecommunications. She has argued at claim construction and evidentiary hearings and managed case teams. Ms. Curtis has been recognized as a Northern California Super Lawyer in Intellectual Property Litigation.
Michael E. Flynn-O'Brien
- Role: Partner
- Firm: Bunsow De Mory LLP, Redwood City, CA
- Experience: A trial lawyer handling complex commercial and intellectual property disputes across federal, state, and arbitral venues. His patent litigation experience covers a broad range of technologies, including robotics, drones, autonomous navigation, data centers, mobile devices, audio algorithms, and semiconductors. He has been named a Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation (2025) and a "Super Lawyer" in IP Litigation multiple times.
Samuel Franklin Baxter
- Role: Retired Principal (was likely Lead Counsel at the time of filing)
- Firm: McKool Smith, P.C., Marshall, TX and Dallas, TX
- Experience: A renowned trial lawyer, particularly in the Eastern District of Texas, who retired as a Principal from McKool Smith on April 30, 2026. Prior to his private practice, he served as a Texas state district judge and district attorney. Mr. Baxter achieved some of the largest verdicts and settlements in Texas history, including a record-breaking $1.4 billion settlement for the State of Texas against Meta in 2024. He has been recognized as an "Icon of IP" by Law360 and among the "Top 100 Trial Lawyers in America".
Defendant representatives
Counsel of record for the defendant(s): attorneys, firms, and roles (lead counsel, of counsel, local counsel).
- Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher
- Mark Nolan Reiter · Counsel
- Andrew William Robb · Counsel
- Nathan Robert Curtis · Counsel
- Yeepay Audrey Yang · Counsel
- Ashbey N. Morgan · Counsel
- Robert Vincent · Counsel
- Gillam & Smith
- Melissa Richards Smith · Local Counsel
- In-house counsel
- Chris Storm · in-house
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thought
The user is asking for the counsel of record representing the defendant(s) in the patent infringement case 2:25-cv-00029.
I need to find the names, roles, firms, office locations, and relevant experience for each attorney representing Uber Technologies Inc.
I will use web search to look for docket entries, firm websites, and legal news sources.
Here's a plan:
- Search for "2:25-cv-00029 defendant counsel Uber Technologies Inc." to find specific docket entries listing appearances.
- If direct results are limited, search for "Uber Technologies Inc patent litigation counsel" or "Uber Technologies Inc. outside counsel patent" to find common firms they use in patent cases.
- Once names and firms are identified, search for each attorney's name and firm to find their office location and relevant experience.Here is the counsel of record representing the defendant, Uber Technologies Inc., in the patent infringement case Carma Technology, Corp. et al v. Uber Technologies Inc, case number 2:25-cv-00029, in the Texas Eastern District Court:
Mark Nolan Reiter
- Role: Counsel
- Firm: Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
- Office Location: Dallas, TX (Implied by association with other Dallas-based Gibson Dunn attorneys for this case and general firm presence)
- Relevant Experience: Mark Reiter is a partner at Gibson Dunn specializing in intellectual property litigation, including patent infringement, with extensive experience representing technology companies.
Andrew William Robb
- Role: Counsel
- Firm: Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
- Office Location: Dallas, TX
- Relevant Experience: Andrew Robb is a partner at Gibson Dunn who frequently represents clients in high-stakes intellectual property and technology litigation.
Nathan Robert Curtis
- Role: Counsel
- Firm: Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
- Office Location: Dallas, TX
- Relevant Experience: Nathan Curtis is a Gibson Dunn attorney experienced in patent and technology litigation, often defending large corporations.
Yeepay Audrey Yang
- Role: Counsel
- Firm: Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
- Office Location: Dallas, TX
- Relevant Experience: Yeepay Audrey Yang is an attorney at Gibson Dunn focusing on intellectual property and complex commercial litigation, including patent disputes.
Ashbey N. Morgan
- Role: Counsel
- Firm: Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
- Office Location: Dallas, TX
- Relevant Experience: Ashbey Morgan is a litigation partner at Gibson Dunn, with a practice that includes patent litigation defense for technology companies.
Robert Vincent
- Role: Counsel
- Firm: Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
- Office Location: Not specified in search results; Gibson Dunn has multiple offices.
- Relevant Experience: Robert Vincent is an attorney at Gibson Dunn involved in patent litigation matters.
Melissa Richards Smith
- Role: Local Counsel
- Firm: Gillam & Smith, LLP
- Office Location: Tyler, TX
- Relevant Experience: Melissa Smith is a founding partner of Gillam & Smith, LLP, and is a highly regarded trial attorney with extensive experience as local counsel in patent cases in the Eastern District of Texas.
Additionally, Chris Storm is an IP Legal Director at Uber Technologies, Inc., leading Uber's IP policy initiatives and strategy for emerging transportation technologies, indicating an in-house counsel role in managing and directing intellectual property matters, including litigation.