WilmerHale

WilmerHale: Patent Litigation Summary

Date: 2026-05-02

Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP is a premier international "BigLaw" firm with more than 1,000 lawyers and co-headquarters in Washington, D.C., and Boston. The firm operates 12 offices across the United States and Europe, providing a global reach for its clients. WilmerHale consistently ranks among the nation's most elite law firms, having appeared on The American Lawyer's "A-List" for over 20 consecutive years. Its Intellectual Property Litigation practice is considered among the best in the nation, earning a top-tier "Band 1" ranking from Chambers USA for its work in high-stakes patent disputes.

The firm's patent litigation group is renowned for its work in the technology and life sciences sectors. With over 120 professionals holding scientific or technical degrees, WilmerHale litigates complex cases involving software, augmented reality, video streaming, consumer electronics, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices. This technical depth is demonstrated in its representation of leading innovators such as Apple, Gilead Sciences, and Netflix. The firm's work for Niantic in Imaginear Inc v. Niantic Inc, a case involving augmented reality gaming patents, underscores its specialty in cutting-edge software and technology platforms.

WilmerHale predominantly represents defendants, typically large operating companies, a fact supported by the firm's litigation history and public case results. In the tracked case, the firm served as lead counsel for the defendant Niantic. The firm has secured numerous high-profile defense verdicts and dismissals, including a landmark patent trial victory for Gilead Sciences against the U.S. government in May 2023 regarding HIV-prevention drugs and a complete defense jury verdict for Netflix in April 2026, defeating a $400 million patent infringement claim related to video streaming technology. In the Imaginear v. Niantic case, the firm secured a dismissal in April 2026 after a Delaware federal judge ruled the asserted patents were invalid because they were directed at abstract ideas.

The firm's patent practice is bolstered by a formidable Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) group that handles inter partes review (IPR) and other post-grant proceedings for both patent challengers and owners. Law360 has recognized WilmerHale as one of the top full-service firms for PTAB work, and Managing IP has previously ranked its practice in Tier 1 for PTAB litigation. Key partners in the patent litigation practice include Sonal N. Mehta, who led the successful Niantic defense and serves as partner-in-charge of the Palo Alto office, and Boston-based William "Bill" Lee, who is widely regarded as one of the nation's leading trial lawyers. Other prominent partners include IP Litigation Co-Chair Mark Selwyn. Michael G. Bongiorno is a noted trial lawyer at the firm who co-chairs the securities litigation and enforcement practice.