Niro, Haller & Niro

Firm Summary: Niro, Haller & Niro (Defunct)

Niro, Haller & Niro was a Chicago-based intellectual property boutique law firm that gained national prominence for its aggressive and successful assertion of patent rights on behalf of inventors and patent-licensing companies. The firm, which also operated under the names Niro, Scavone, Haller & Niro and later Niro Law, was widely recognized as a pioneer in plaintiff-side patent litigation, particularly for non-practicing entities (NPEs). Following the death of its founder, Raymond P. Niro Sr., in August 2016, the firm dissolved in early 2017.

The firm's practice was overwhelmingly focused on representing patent holders in infringement litigation. It developed a formidable reputation for securing substantial verdicts and settlements for its clients, which included individual inventors and corporations. The term "patent troll" was famously coined by an Intel lawyer in response to a lawsuit brought by the Niro firm. While the firm represented a broad range of technologies, it was known for its work in patent, trademark, and copyright infringement, as well as trade secret misappropriation.

As a plaintiff-focused firm, Niro, Haller & Niro primarily represented patent owners seeking to enforce their intellectual property rights, a fact supported by case data showing its role as plaintiff's counsel. This business model, while highly lucrative, also drew considerable opposition and contributed to a backlash that led to legislative and judicial reforms in patent law. Notable matters handled by the firm include a successful action for Black & Decker concerning its "Snakelight" flashlight patent and representation of Solaia Technology in asserting a patent related to industrial control systems. However, the firm also faced significant setbacks, including sanctions against its attorneys for "unreasonable and vexatious litigation" in the Intellect Wireless, Inc. v. HTC Corp. case, where the patents were ultimately found unenforceable.

Key partners of the firm included its founder, Raymond P. Niro Sr., who was a nationally recognized and polarizing figure in patent law. Paul K. Vickrey was another prominent partner and trial lawyer at the firm. Following the firm's dissolution, Paul Vickrey and others founded a new firm, Vitale Vickrey Niro & Gasey LLP, which continues to practice in intellectual property and commercial litigation. David J. Mahalek, a more junior attorney at the firm, was also involved in the sanctioned Intellect Wireless litigation. Another name partner, Tim Haller, later established Haller Law PLLC, also focusing on plaintiff-side IP litigation and PTAB proceedings.