Kobre & Kim

Kobre & Kim: Patent Litigation Professional Summary

Date: 2026-05-07

Firm: Kobre & Kim LLP
Headquarters: New York, NY
U.S. Offices: Delaware, Miami, New York, San Francisco, Washington DC
International Offices: São Paulo, Hong Kong, Seoul, Shanghai, BVI, Cayman Islands, Cyprus, Dubai, London, Tel Aviv

Kobre & Kim is a global disputes and investigations-focused firm founded in 2003, structured to operate as special litigation counsel in high-stakes, cross-border matters. The firm's "conflict-free" model, where it generally avoids repeat client relationships, allows it to pursue aggressive litigation strategies, often against large industry players where other firms may be conflicted. While not a pure-play IP boutique, the firm is a recognized litigation specialty firm that has appeared in the AmLaw 200 rankings. Its IP practice is particularly noted for its work in high-value trade secret and patent disputes.

The firm's intellectual property litigators handle complex technology cases spanning software, artificial intelligence, wireless communications, biotechnology, and semiconductors. A recent representation for defendant Krisp Technologies in a dispute with Sanas.AI involves AI-powered real-time accent translation software, with allegations of patent infringement and trade secret misappropriation. While the firm's recent tracked appearance is on the defendant side, its public profile and notable cases show a significant practice representing patent owners in enforcement and monetization campaigns. The firm's IP group is described as taking a holistic approach, working with patent owners at early stages to develop successful enforcement campaigns.

Kobre & Kim has secured several major litigation victories. The firm is known for its successful representation of the Australian government's science agency, CSIRO, in enforcing its foundational Wi-Fi patents, which resulted in recoveries reported to be around $400 million. It also achieved a significant settlement for Spanish R&D company Fractus in a dispute over mobile device antenna technology. In a prominent trade secrets case, the firm won a jury verdict of $604.9 million for Propel Fuels against Phillips 66, which with enhanced damages and interest resulted in a total judgment of over $833 million. While the firm handles matters before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), public data does not indicate the specific scale of its IPR/PGR practice.

The firm's Intellectual Property and Technology Disputes practice is led by Michael K. Ng from the San Francisco office. Mr. Ng is a recognized trial lawyer focused on patent and trade secret disputes. Daniel A. Zaheer is another prominent San Francisco-based IP litigation partner who has led or co-led several of the firm's most significant patent and trade secret victories, including for clients like CSIRO and Propel Fuels. Both Mr. Ng and Mr. Zaheer were listed as lead counsel in the Krisp Technologies, Inc. v. Sanas.AI Inc. matter.