Alyssa Caridis Partner, Intellectual Property
Los Angeles; Santa Monica
Los Angeles; Santa Monica
Los Angeles; Santa Monica
Alyssa represents companies in all stages of litigation — from pre-suit investigation, through trial, and on to appeals court. In 2023 alone, she was a key member of Orrick teams that won two jury verdicts, three ITC proceedings, and numerous IPRs and dispositive motions.
She draws upon her engineering degree from Harvey Mudd College to engage with technical professionals and quickly grasp new technologies. She brings experience with technologies ranging from medical devices, streaming media systems, software and peripheral computer components to projects in the aerospace and automotive industries.
She acts for companies of all sizes. Current clients include Sonos, Zynga, Micro Focus, Oracle, DISH, Checkpoint, RingCentral, and Cellink.
The Daily Journal recognized Alyssa as one of the Top Women Lawyers in California in 2023 and both Bloomberg Law and Daily Journal named her to their 40 Under 40 lists.
For Alyssa, IP protection is more than business; it’s personal. For more than a half-century, her family patented mechanical technologies that they developed into a thriving business, inspiring her love of science and technology as well as her desire to protect innovative ideas. Alyssa calls Southern California home, but remains loyal to the sports teams of her Bay Area childhood.
Orange County
Joseph has experience drafting and prosecuting patents in several technical fields, including signal processing, memory control, optical medical devices, computer networks, database management, thermal conductivity and geomechanics, nanostructuring, e-commerce, capacitive touch panels, complex circuit designs, data security/encryption, semiconductors, in-flight entertainment systems, power systems, neural networks, and software applications.
Joseph's practice further includes conducting intellectual property due diligence to assess the quality and quantity of intellectual property assets. For example, Joseph has represented several clients in open source licensing matters and provided counseling to develop open source software strategies. He also has extensive experience in intellectual property and technology matters related to mergers and acquisitions.
Joseph also has substantial experience in patent infringement litigation cases in federal district courts and the United States International Trade Commission (ITC). Joseph also has represented clients in post-grant opposition procedures with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, including ex parte reexaminations and inter partes reviews (under the America Invents Act).
Joseph began his career as a summer associate at Blakely, Sokoloff, Taylor & Zaffman, LLP, in Los Angeles, and an attorney at One, LLP, in Newport Beach, Calif. Prior to law school, he worked as a software and systems engineer for a diversified systems and services company in transportation, defense and RFID markets worldwide.
San Francisco
San Francisco
Nathan represents and advises the firm on all issues regarding claims and is responsible for managing the firm’s complex litigation strategies. He retains and supervises outside defense counsel, coordinates coverage and related issues with the firm’s insurance carriers, and ensures the effective and efficient defense of claims against the firm. Nathan is also a member of Orrick’s Risk Management Committee, responsible for promoting risk awareness and prevention through risk management training, internal firm publications, and risk management audits.
Prior to taking on his current role, Nathan was a member of the Firm's Complex Litigation and Dispute Resolution group. With nearly two decades of litigation and trial experience, Nathan has practiced before state and federal courts and has arbitrated matters before The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and the International Center for Dispute Resolution.
Most recently, Nathan was a member of the Orrick team representing Johnson & Johnson as National Coordinating Counsel in lawsuits alleging that the company’s talc products contain asbestos. In October 2019, Nathan was part of the trial team named as Law360 Legal Lions for its representation of Johnson & Johnson in a suit alleging the company’s talc products caused the plaintiff’s mesothelioma. After a five-week trial, a Los Angeles jury rejected all of plaintiffs’ claims and returned a complete defense verdict for Johnson & Johnson.
Nathan joined Orrick as a summer associate in 2001. In 2007, he took a brief leave of absence to work as a prosecutor in the San Francisco County District Attorney’s Office where he tried several cases to verdict.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Chris has developed a global reputation as an authoritative source on legal issues in 3D printing, and has been a featured speaker at 3D printing events around the world. His 3D printing practice includes advising startups and established 3D printing companies on all aspects of intellectual property law, cybersecurity, and technology transactions. Chris helps 3D printing clients grow their businesses and capitalize on market opportunities and represents them in court to defend or enforce IP rights. Chris' 3D printing work extends beyond the courtroom; he teaches a course at Penn State University as part of its Masters of Engineering in Additive Manufacturing and Design program.
Chris' patent litigation and IPR practice also covers a wide range of other technologies including graphics processing, digital image processing and printing, semiconductor devices and semiconductor manufacturing, data encryption, high-definition television, digital content recognition, and medical devices. Chris has also assisted clients with licensing and patent prosecution related to 3D printing, digital imaging, wireless technology, mobile communication devices, encryption, high-definition television and medical devices.
Prior to law school, Chris worked in the patent department of a medical device company and as an engineer designing electronic components for missiles, projectiles, and bombs.
New York
He has litigated patents at trial, before the ITC, and on appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Rich has counseled clients and rendered opinions on patent validity, infringement and freedom to use. He is a registered patent attorney with experience drafting patents and practicing before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Rich’s patent work has involved a wide range of technologies including image processing, 3d graphics, audio / video compression, computer hardware and software, e-commerce, network technologies, digital rights management and encryption.
Rich also helps companies address the novel litigation and transactional IP issues that arise when developing and working with AI and is a frequent lecturer on these topics.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Vann litigates in forums throughout the country. He has won several inter partes review proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. He has secured favorable jury verdicts in Federal and state courts in Delaware, Florida, Maryland, and Texas. Multiple wins on behalf of his clients at the U.S. International Trade Commission in Section 337 investigations have earned recognition with “Disputes Deal of the Year” awards. And he has crafted winning strategies and briefs in precedent-setting Federal Circuit appeals.
A chemical engineer by training, Vann is a member of the Patent Bar. His representations involve a broad range of technology fields, including semiconductors, artificial intelligence, consumer electronics, 3D printing, automotive technologies, digital imaging, cryptocurrency, and batteries. His clients are based worldwide, including a significant portion from Japan and China. Vann frequently travels to Asia to speak on key developments in intellectual property law.
Patent infringement litigation is central to Vann’s practice, but he also has handled breach of contract, trade secret misappropriation, antitrust, tortious interference, false advertising, civil theft, and bankruptcy matters. Many of his matters involve a complex mix of claims and counterclaims across legal disciplines, where he employs his strategic judgment to navigate competing risks.
While his practice focuses on litigation and dispute resolution, Vann also advices clients on patent licensing, portfolio development, and intellectual property due diligence. Vann co-founded Orrick’s cross-practice 3D printing initiative.
Vann has served the Firm in key leadership roles. In 2022-2023, Vann served as the Chief Practice Officer for the firm's IP & Litigation Business Units, which comprise nearly 400 attorneys globally. His responsibilities included oversight of the units' financial performance, business planning and execution, and lawyer recruiting. Vann also previously served as the firm’s U.S. Law School Hiring Partner, overseeing entry-level hiring nationwide.
San Francisco
In his practice, Chris has been a first chair trial lawyer with more than 30 years of experience handling high stakes, precedent-setting cases, particularly in the products liability arena. His most recent products liability engagements included serving as trial counsel for a large talc company, including trying to conclusion one of the very first mesothelioma cases against it, and leading a cross-office international and national team defending multiple Chinese companies in a historic MDL. At times, a client asked Chris to lead five or more trial teams in products cases in a single year.
Chris also has acted as national counsel for companies facing thousands of mass tort product liability claims and complex, multiparty class action litigation, and has counseled multinational companies entangled in lengthy, enterprise-threatening litigation and negotiated legal and business solutions involving billions of dollars. He has extensive experience in complex and commercial litigation, ranging from insurance recovery disputes to trade secrets issues, and has significant experience in assisting foreign aerospace companies with international arbitration disputes with first-tier aircraft manufacturers.
Earlier in his career, Chris represented large public companies in mergers, acquisitions, strategic investments and private financings; private companies in initial public offerings; and emerging growth companies in general corporate matters. Chris' transactional experience also offers clients a unique perspective on risk mitigation strategies to avoid costly litigation in the future.
Chris also chaired Orrick’s Risk Management Committee and served on its Operations Team. Prior to joining the firm, Chris was a partner at Clifford Chance and a partner at Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison, where he was a member of the Policy Committee, a member of the Executive Committee, Chair of the Risk Management Committee and Chair of the Hiring Committee.