Case Spotlight
Case Spotlight

Recent victories. Significant cases.

Recent Cases

Rambus Inc. v. Micron Technology Inc. Rambus Inc. v. Micron Technology Inc.

Micron Technology Inc. was found not liable in the failure of RDRAM to become main PC memory, and no damages were awarded to Rambus Inc. which sought $4.3 billion in this landmark antitrust case.

Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. v. Bayer Corp. Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. v. Bayer Corp.

The Focal Point partnered with Cooley to help Onyx in a major contract dispute with Bayer over cutting-edge cancer fighting compounds.

Henderson v. Petersen, et al. Henderson v. Petersen, et al.

The Focal Point worked pro bono with the Keker & Van Nest trial team to represent an inmate who was physically assaulted by two correction officers.

ColorQuick v. Vistaprint ColorQuick v. Vistaprint

The Focal Point teamed up with Cooley to help Vistaprint win a rare patent case defense victory in the Eastern District of Texas.

Volterra Semiconductor Corp. v. Primarion, Inc. and Infineon Technologies Volterra Semiconductor Corp. v. Primarion, Inc. and Infineon Technologies

The Focal Point joined forces with Farella Braun + Martell LLP to successfully assert two patents concerning flip chip voltage regulators held by Bay Area startup, Volterra Semiconductor Corp.

ACQIS, LLC v. IBM ACQIS, LLC v. IBM

The Focal Point teamed up again with longtime client Cooley LLP to successfully assert a portfolio of patents concerning serialized PCI communications within blade servers.

George Batchelor and the Batchelor Foundation v. BDO Seidman George Batchelor and the Batchelor Foundation v. BDO Seidman

A Miami jury ordered accounting firm BDO Seidman LLP to pay $91.7 million in damages for fraud and negligence associated with BDO’s audits of a housing developer that later went bankrupt.

Perry v. Schwarzenegger Perry v. Schwarzenegger

The Focal Point worked with Ted Olsen, David Boies, and Therese Stewart on this landmark case to challenge the constitutional validity of California’s Proposition 8.

Smally v. Nationwide Smally v. Nationwide

The Focal Point teamed up with Commins & Knudsen, P.C. against Nationwide Insurance regarding a Bad Faith claim on a home insurance policy. The jury awarded $1.9 million.

Zynga v. Playdom Zynga v. Playdom

In late 2009, Zynga sued rival game startup Playdom for, among other things, misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of contract, breach of the duty of loyalty, tortious interference with contracts, tortious interference with existing and prospective economic advantage and unfair competition.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. v. Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (TSMC v. SMIC) Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. v. Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (TSMC v. SMIC)

Jeffrey Chanin, the lead attorney at Keker & Van Nest LLP representing TSMC, said the case amounted to “the biggest case of wholesale corporate espionage” he had ever encountered.

Fanucci v. Allstate Fanucci v. Allstate

A San Francisco jury returned a defense verdict in 25 minutes in this breach of contract insurance case.

The People of Elsinore v. Hamlet, Prince of Denmark The People of Elsinore v. Hamlet, Prince of Denmark

Cristina Arguedas and Allen Ruby revised literary history by putting Hamlet on trial for Murder in the First Degree at the ABTL’s December program.

United States v. Kent H. Roberts United States v. Kent H. Roberts

A jury found that Kent H. Roberts actions, as former General Counsel for McAfee, were in line with company policy and the law.

Historic Cases

Microsoft v. Google Microsoft v. Google

In a battle between the two Internet search giants, Microsoft and Google, The Focal Point’s clients, Google and its new hire, Dr. Kai-Fu Lee, reached a successful resolution just weeks before trial.

Colorado v. Kobe Bean Bryant Colorado v. Kobe Bean Bryant

The Focal Point provided Mental Mining®, strategy, and graphics for the Defense lawyers and numerous Defense experts in this nationally covered criminal case.

California v. Knoller and Noel California v. Knoller and Noel

A jury found the Defendants guilty on all five criminal charges resulting from a fatal attack by the Defendants’ dogs in San Francisco.

InterTrust v. Microsoft InterTrust v. Microsoft

Described by Fortune magazine as “the biggest patent case ever,” Microsoft paid $440 million to The Focal Point's client.

California v. Scott Peterson California v. Scott Peterson

The Focal Point worked with the Prosecution on trial strategy in this highly publicized first-degree murder case.

Banco Espirito Santo International Limited v. BDO Seidman Banco Espirito Santo International Limited v. BDO Seidman

The Focal Point played a major role in the verdict against accounting firm BDO Seidman in a gross negligence case brought by Portuguese bank Banco Espirito Santo.  

SEC v. Buntrock SEC v. Buntrock

A Chicago jury found James Koenig, former CFO of Waste Management, liable for falsifying accounts while engaging in “massive financial fraud” totaling $1.7 billion between 1992–1997.

Chiron v. Genentech Chiron v. Genentech

The jury unanimously agreed that counsel Keker & Van Nest had met the burden of “clear and convincing evidence” and found for Genentech on all counts.

MAN AG v. Freightliner MAN AG v. Freightliner

The Focal Point worked with counsel to clarify case themes and theories and to create a cohesive, easily understood storyline that resulted in an award of $838 million in damages to German truck manufacturer, MAN AG.

Case Spotlight