Steptoe

Steptoe LLP is an international BigLaw firm headquartered in Washington, D.C., with a significant global footprint including offices in Beijing, Brussels, Chicago, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco. Recognized as an Am Law 200 firm, ranking #101 by gross revenue in 2022, Steptoe operates with more than 500 lawyers and professional staff. Its Intellectual Property practice is consistently lauded by publications such as Chambers and Legal 500.

Steptoe's IP litigation practice boasts extensive experience across diverse technological fields, including electronics, software, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, chemistry, materials science, nanotechnology, mechanical systems, and business methods. The firm is adept at handling complex life sciences patent litigation, including Hatch-Waxman and biologics disputes. Steptoe also has strong capabilities in Section 337 investigations before the International Trade Commission (ITC) and addresses trade secret disputes.

The firm actively represents clients on both the plaintiff and defendant sides in patent disputes. While the firm's tracked cases show a slight tilt towards defendant-side engagements (4 defendant-side appearances vs. 2 plaintiff-side), its patent litigation description confirms an even-handed approach, representing various entities from Fortune 500 corporations to emerging high-tech ventures.

Among its notable engagements, Steptoe has acted as lead counsel for Terumo BCT, Inc. as plaintiff in patent litigation, and for Snapaid Ltd. as a defendant in actions including Snapaid Ltd. v. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al., a case concerning smartphone picture quality functionalities. The firm secured a jury verdict for American Axle in a multi-patent infringement suit concerning automotive driveline noise and vibration technology, which involved a successful appeal to the Federal Circuit on patent eligibility and a subsequent summary judgment win. Steptoe's patent litigation team has also achieved multimillion-dollar jury verdicts and favorable resolutions in long-running multi-patent disputes.

Steptoe possesses a robust Post-Grant Proceedings practice before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), having been one of the first firms to file Inter Partes Review (IPR) petitions in 2012. The firm has since represented clients in "well over 120 IPRs," engaging as counsel for both petitioners and patent owners. In a recent informative decision, the PTAB Director vacated institution of an IPR (Terumo BCT, Inc. v. Haemonetics Corp.) due to the petitioner's inconsistent indefiniteness arguments in parallel district court litigation, an area where Steptoe actively provides guidance on the evolving discretionary denial practices.

Key partners in Steptoe's Intellectual Property group include John Abramic, who chairs the practice, and Jay Nuttall and John Caracappa, both co-chairs of the IP group. Katherine D. Cappaert is also a prominent partner, leveraging her mechanical engineering background in patent disputes. These leaders contribute to the firm's recognized capabilities in managing complex IP litigation and post-grant proceedings.