We are lead counsel for HTC Corporation—one of the world’s largest manufacturers of handheld devices—in a high-stakes case against Apple Corporation. In 2010, Apple charged HTC with infringement of 10 Apple patents at the International Trade Commission (ITC). We led HTC's defense team, which includes two Am Law 100 firms, from the outset of the case through the three-week trial in April 2011. Over the recommendation of an ITC Office of Unfair Import Investigations staff attorney, who argued at trial that HTC does not violate any valid Apple patents, the judge ruled that HTC infringed two patents. We will vigorously fight those remaining two patents through an appeal before the ITC Commissioners, who make the final decision in the ITC stage of the investigation.
We also represent HTC as a complainant in a separate ITC investigation. In that case, HTC has asserted its own patents against Apple related to core smartphone user interface and power management technologies. During a seven-day trial in May 2011, we argued that Apple’s iPhone, iPad and iPod products infringed HTC’s patents and should be excluded from import into the United States. According to media reports, half of Apple’s most recent quarterly revenue—approximately $24.6 billion—can be attributed to iPhone and iPhone-related products. The administrative law judge is expected to make an initial determination in September 2011.