Ropes & Gray, Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton

The firm in question, as indicated by the provided name and tracked attorney, encompasses Ropes & Gray and, notably, a significant portion of its former patent litigation team that transitioned to Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton in September 2025. This summary will focus on Ropes & Gray's established patent litigation practice and the impact of this recent team move.

Ropes & Gray LLP is a prominent global BigLaw firm, headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. It maintains an extensive international office footprint across North America, Europe, and Asia, including key cities such as New York, Washington D.C., London, and Tokyo. The firm consistently ranks among the top law firms, recognized as a "top 20 Vault law firm" and frequently appearing in the top three of The American Lawyer's A-List.

The firm's intellectual property litigation practice specializes in complex, high-stakes patent disputes for major technology and life sciences sector clients. Their expertise spans various technology areas, including semiconductors, wireless technology (such as 3G, 4G LTE, and 5G cellular communication standards), software interfaces, and medical devices. Ropes & Gray handles a full spectrum of IP services, from strategic counseling and licensing to litigation and transactions, with a particular focus on multijurisdictional patent infringement disputes, standard-essential patents (SEPs), and RAND licensing issues. Based on available data, the firm has primarily appeared on the defendant side in tracked cases.

Ropes & Gray has a record of notable outcomes in patent litigation. The firm achieved a favorable settlement for LG Electronics in high-stakes patent litigation involving cellular technology. They also secured a series of wins for Emerson in an international dispute concerning mesh networking technology and won a $23 million jury verdict for Collision Communications against Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy. The firm has also been recognized for decisively winning significant patent decisions on issues of inequitable conduct.

The firm possesses a robust PTAB/IPR practice, highlighted for its strategic approach to post-grant reviews. Ropes & Gray professionals provide insights into navigating the nuances of bringing patent disputes before the U.S. Patent Trial and Appeal Board, including the role of experts and the Federal Circuit's influence on PTAB decisions.

However, a significant development in September 2025 saw a 21-lawyer patent litigation team, including five partners, depart Ropes & Gray to join Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton. This team was led by Steven Pepe, who was formerly the chair of Ropes & Gray's IP litigation practice. The team included prominent patent litigators such as David Chun, Jim Davis, Matthew Shapiro, and Kevin J. Post, who is named in the tracked appearances. These partners now practice across Sheppard Mullin's New York, Silicon Valley, Seoul, and Washington D.C. offices, bolstering Sheppard Mullin's technology and life sciences capabilities.