Irell & Manella

Irell & Manella: Patent Litigation Summary

Effective Date: May 1, 2026

Irell & Manella LLP is a premier litigation boutique renowned for handling high-stakes intellectual property disputes. Headquartered in Los Angeles, the firm maintains a focused footprint with additional offices in Newport Beach, California, and Washington, D.C. Though more compact in attorney headcount than many of its "BigLaw" competitors, Irell is consistently ranked among the nation's elite for intellectual property litigation. Chambers and Partners accords its California IP Patent Litigation practice a top-tier "Band 1" ranking, and The American Lawyer has previously named it "IP Litigation Department of the Year."

The firm has a storied reputation for representing both plaintiffs and defendants but is particularly known for securing landmark, nine- and ten-figure verdicts for patent holders. The provided case data shows the firm representing plaintiff Sanas.AI Inc., which aligns with Irell's extensive public record of major plaintiff-side victories for technology companies like VLSI Technology ($2.3 billion final judgment vs. Intel), Netlist ($303 million and $445 million verdicts vs. Samsung and Micron), and TiVo (over $1.8 billion in judgments and settlements). The firm litigates across a broad spectrum of complex technologies, including semiconductors, computer memory, software, telecommunications, and biotechnology.

In the tracked case, Sanas.AI Inc. v. Krisp Technologies, Inc., Irell serves as lead counsel for the plaintiff, a developer of AI-powered real-time accent translation software, in a patent infringement and trade secret dispute against a competitor. This representation underscores the firm's specialty in cutting-edge software and artificial intelligence patent litigation. Recent court filings in the case include a February 2026 order denying the defendant's motion to dismiss on patent eligibility grounds under Section 101, allowing Sanas's claims to proceed.

The firm’s practice is led by some of the most recognized trial attorneys in the U.S. Morgan Chu, listed as lead counsel in the Sanas.AI case, is the chair of the litigation group and is widely regarded as one of the nation's preeminent patent litigators. Other key partners frequently cited for their success in high-profile patent cases include Jason Sheasby and Lisa Glasser. Beyond the courtroom, Irell & Manella maintains a robust Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) practice, with approximately 25 registered patent attorneys who handle inter partes review (IPR) and other post-grant proceedings, often in parallel with district court litigation.