Two Heim, Payne & Chorush Patent Infringement Wins Inducted into Texas Verdicts Hall of Fame
Houston-based tech-focused IP boutique excels in complex patent litigation
HOUSTON – Two patent infringement verdicts earned by trial lawyers at Houston-based patent litigation boutique Heim, Payne & Chorush have earned places in the VerdictSearch Texas Verdicts Hall of Fame.
The two trial outcomes illustrate the firm’s results-oriented approach to patent litigation. That includes using lean trial teams of experienced lawyers with scientific and technical backgrounds to handle all aspects of a case, as well as appellate work at the Federal Circuit and concurrent inter partes review proceedings before the U.S. Patent Trial and Appeal Board.
Together the verdicts total more than $46 million, but related royalty agreements, post-verdict settlements, and the ability of the patent owners to continue to enforce their patented technology push the value of the trial wins significantly higher.
In DataQuill v. ZTE, firm founding partner Les Payne led the trial effort to enforce three DataQuill patents for wireless technology used by Chinese smartphone maker ZTE. Co-defendants Apple and Huawei settled before trial, and the jury returned a $31.5 million verdict against ZTE in June 2015.
In addition to Mr. Payne, the DataQuill trial team in the Eastern District of Texas included Blaine Larson, as well as lawyers from Susman Godfrey and local counsel from East Texas law firms Capshaw DeRieux and Ward, Smith & Hill.
In Rembrandt Wireless Technologies v. Samsung, the Heim, Payne & Chorush team successfully argued that Samsung had infringed on Rembrandt patents for Bluetooth-enhanced data rate technology. After obtaining an initial $11.7 million verdict, firm lawyers briefed and argued appellate issues at the Federal Circuit, obtaining favorable rulings on Samsung’s liability and infringement, as well as a closely watched ruling that remanded damages calculations back to the trial court. On remand, the trial court awarded an additional $11.1 million damages recalculation award.
The Rembrandt trial team included firm partners Mike Heim and Eric Enger, plus lawyers from Houston-based AZA including Demetrios Anaipakos, and local counsel Ward, Smith & Hill.
“Patent litigation increasingly requires a holistic approach that anticipates inter partes review and appellate challenges,” said Mr. Heim. “A jury verdict rarely resolves a dispute, and we’ve learned from experience to staff our litigation with that in mind. While these two cases are recognized by the Texas Verdicts Hall of Fame, they’re typical of the way we work.”
Heim, Payne & Chorush LLP represents plaintiffs and defendants in litigation across a broad range of technologies and business sectors. With a wide variety of technical and scientific backgrounds, firm attorneys handle all facets of intellectual property litigation for some of the largest energy and technology firms, as well as individuals and smaller companies. Heim, Payne & Chorush takes pride in its ability to partner with other attorneys and firms to bring the best possible trial team together for the benefit of the client.