Steve Hanle is a technology litigator who has dedicated his 30 year career to safeguarding the rights of patent holders and defending competitors accused of infringement. In high-stakes situations, his strategic and practical approach aggressively protects the years of research and development his clients have poured into the technologies behind innovative medical devices, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, optical advancements, automotive, and mechanical processes. Steve melds aggressive, strategic and practical approaches to achieve victories in court that translate to victories for his clients’ businesses. He has an outstanding record of winning cases on summary judgment, thereby avoiding the expense of trial. But when necessary, Steve goes the distance, winning cases before juries, judges and on appeal. Steve also regularly leverages interim victories in litigation to achieve ideal settlements for his clients.
In addition to litigating patent cases, Steve also represents companies in federal court cases involving trade secrets, unfair competition, trademarks and complex business and licensing disputes. Outside the courtroom, Steve frequently provides pre-litigation advice based on his extensive litigation experience, enabling companies to predict, achieve or avoid outcomes that might arise from business transactions involving intellectual property.
While Steve has litigated patent infringement cases throughout the country, his experience is particularly valuable in the Central District of California and Orange County, where he has served as president of the two leading bar organizations for patent litigators and the Federal judges that oversee patent infringement cases.
Some highlights of Steve’s career include the following cases:
Winning two patent cases for Imaginal Systematics in the Central District of California. In the first case, he won a $5 million jury verdict after winning summary judgment on infringement and validity, then upheld the results on appeal. In the second case, Steve secured a multi-million settlement after winning summary judgment that the defendant willfully infringed Imaginal’s patents.
Achieving a complete victory for Lenovo (HKG: 00992) in a patent case filed by Optimum Power Solutions asserting a patent covering computer power distribution technology. The plaintiff was forced to dismiss its case after Steve obtained claim construction rulings that precluded a finding of infringement.
Currently representing Edwards Lifesciences (NYS: EW) in a patent infringement and unfair competition case against an Indian competitor that knocked off Edwards’ artificial heart valve technology. Before the defendant’s product was approved in the United States, Steve and his team were able to catch the competitor promoting the infringing product at a U.S. tradeshow, allowing Edwards to protect its intellectual property in the United States.
Successfully defending Endologix in a case brought by a non-practicing entity backed by litigation funding to pursue the claim. Normally, Endologix would have expended almost $2 million in fees over the 12 months it would usually take to get to a claim construction hearing, but Steve and his team filed a successful motion for claim construction so that the court could begin to determine the scope and meaning of the patent’s claims in just three months.
Defended CalAmp (NAS: CAMP) in a patent infringement case filed in Texas involving vehicle speed monitoring technology. He obtained a nuisance value settlement after raising challenges to the validity of the plaintiff’s patent.
Securing a total victory for Eveready Battery Company and Performance Designed Products in defending a patent infringement case involving technology for wireless video gaming controllers. Steve won a summary judgment motion invalidating the plaintiff’s patent, then successfully defended the plaintiff's appeal at the Federal Circuit.
Currently defending Hyland Software in a patent infringement case filed in the Central District of California.
Steve won a case for Edwards Lifesciences in Massachusetts federal court, obtaining a summary judgment that the defendant was not an inventor and had no rights to 11 Edwards patents covering its artificial mitral valve technology.
Steve successfully defended LISNR in a patent case involving its near-ultrasonic, ultra-low power data transmission technology. After the court granted our second motion to dismiss, the plaintiffs dismissed their case in its entirety, clearing the way for LISNR to continue to disseminate its “data over audio” technology.
Steve obtained summary judgment for Synoptek -- a managed IT services provider — in a trademark infringement case. The court canceled the defendant’s infringing ‘SYNAPTEK’ trademark and the defendant was required to change its name.
Steve enforced Hyundai Motor’s “America’s Best Warranty” trademark against American Suzuki. After his team filed a motion for preliminary injunction, Suzuki agreed to cease its alleged infringement, clearing the way for Hyundai’s enduring and successful “America’s Best Warranty” advertising campaign.
In addition to litigating patent cases, Steve also represents companies in federal court cases involving trade secrets, unfair competition, trademarks and complex business and licensing disputes. Outside the courtroom, Steve frequently provides pre-litigation advice based on his extensive litigation experience, enabling companies to predict, achieve or avoid outcomes that might arise from business transactions involving intellectual property.
While Steve has litigated patent infringement cases throughout the country, his experience is particularly valuable in the Central District of California and Orange County, where he has served as president of the two leading bar organizations for patent litigators and the Federal judges that oversee patent infringement cases.
Some highlights of Steve’s career include the following cases:
Winning two patent cases for Imaginal Systematics in the Central District of California. In the first case, he won a $5 million jury verdict after winning summary judgment on infringement and validity, then upheld the results on appeal. In the second case, Steve secured a multi-million settlement after winning summary judgment that the defendant willfully infringed Imaginal’s patents.
Achieving a complete victory for Lenovo (HKG: 00992) in a patent case filed by Optimum Power Solutions asserting a patent covering computer power distribution technology. The plaintiff was forced to dismiss its case after Steve obtained claim construction rulings that precluded a finding of infringement.
Currently representing Edwards Lifesciences (NYS: EW) in a patent infringement and unfair competition case against an Indian competitor that knocked off Edwards’ artificial heart valve technology. Before the defendant’s product was approved in the United States, Steve and his team were able to catch the competitor promoting the infringing product at a U.S. tradeshow, allowing Edwards to protect its intellectual property in the United States.
Successfully defending Endologix in a case brought by a non-practicing entity backed by litigation funding to pursue the claim. Normally, Endologix would have expended almost $2 million in fees over the 12 months it would usually take to get to a claim construction hearing, but Steve and his team filed a successful motion for claim construction so that the court could begin to determine the scope and meaning of the patent’s claims in just three months.
Defended CalAmp (NAS: CAMP) in a patent infringement case filed in Texas involving vehicle speed monitoring technology. He obtained a nuisance value settlement after raising challenges to the validity of the plaintiff’s patent.
Securing a total victory for Eveready Battery Company and Performance Designed Products in defending a patent infringement case involving technology for wireless video gaming controllers. Steve won a summary judgment motion invalidating the plaintiff’s patent, then successfully defended the plaintiff's appeal at the Federal Circuit.
Currently defending Hyland Software in a patent infringement case filed in the Central District of California.
Steve won a case for Edwards Lifesciences in Massachusetts federal court, obtaining a summary judgment that the defendant was not an inventor and had no rights to 11 Edwards patents covering its artificial mitral valve technology.
Steve successfully defended LISNR in a patent case involving its near-ultrasonic, ultra-low power data transmission technology. After the court granted our second motion to dismiss, the plaintiffs dismissed their case in its entirety, clearing the way for LISNR to continue to disseminate its “data over audio” technology.
Steve obtained summary judgment for Synoptek -- a managed IT services provider — in a trademark infringement case. The court canceled the defendant’s infringing ‘SYNAPTEK’ trademark and the defendant was required to change its name.
Steve enforced Hyundai Motor’s “America’s Best Warranty” trademark against American Suzuki. After his team filed a motion for preliminary injunction, Suzuki agreed to cease its alleged infringement, clearing the way for Hyundai’s enduring and successful “America’s Best Warranty” advertising campaign.