People

Denise Mingrone Senior Counsel

Silicon Valley

No stranger to the courtroom and having handled complex litigations for technology giants including Synopsys, Brocade, Applied Materials and Oracle, Denise seamlessly and efficiently manages large teams to secure victory. Clients appreciate her transparent collaboration and instinct for developing a strategy that ensures the right evidence is presented in the best manner.

The jury verdict Denise’s team obtained in the Netgear v. Ruckus Wireless patent trial, for example, surprised most because the team took over the case just weeks before jury selection, earning the number one place on that week’s “Top Jury Verdicts.” Prior to the Ruckus trial, Denise’s team similarly received accolades as “Top Verdict of the Year” for its jury win on behalf of Brocade against A10 Networks involving patent and copyright infringement. These victories were preceded by a trade secret win for MGA in the “Barbie v. Bratz” epic battle against Mattel, which earned Denise the “California Lawyer of the Year” award for her contributions.

In addition, Ms. Mingrone has led numerous software piracy matters, obtaining full relief whether through negotiation or litigation. Her work in this area encompasses both confidential as well as public investigations, all designed to ensure clients secure the protection of their intellectual property rights and receive appropriate relief when those rights are infringed.

As a former law clerk to several federal judges, Denise appreciates that cases do not turn on facts alone. She has waged and won numerous courtroom battles both obtaining and defending pre-trial injunction motions. As one opponent noted, “She’s a fierce advocate who will go to the mat for her client’s position.”

Chris R. Ottenweller Senior Counsel

Silicon Valley

Chris has served as first-chair counsel in more than 75 cases, successfully resolving virtually every one of them; and has tried many cases to judgment, in all types of forums, including jury trials, bench trials, the ITC and arbitrations. His cases involve cutting-edge legal issues and run the full gamut of technologies, including data storage, mobile devices, semiconductors, computers, graphical user interfaces, flash memory and many other technologies.

Chris has been recognized by clients, peers, and multiple publications as a leading lawyer in the IP field. He has been honored by The National Law Journal as one of "50 Intellectual Property Trailblazers and Pioneers," by IP Law360 as an Intellectual Property MVP, by Managing Intellectual Property as an "IP Star," by Chambers USA as a Leading Attorney in Intellectual Property, and by The Daily Journal as one of the "Top 75 IP Litigators" in California. A number of his victories have been profiled by The American Lawyer, Corporate Counsel, The National Law Journal and National Public Radio.

T. Vann Pearce, Jr. Partner

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.

Clement Seth Roberts Partner

San Francisco

Clem acts as lead counsel for companies of all sizes across a broad range of industries. In recent years he has lead cases dealing with medical devices, network security, anti-cancer drugs, video games, battery chemistry, consumer electronics, blockchain and other payments systems, streaming video, ticketing systems, telecommunications, and many more.

Clem has an active trial practice. In 2023 alone, Clem acted as lead counsel for teams that won two jury verdicts, three ITC proceedings, and numerous IPRs and dispositive motions.

Clem has been recognized in the Daily Journal’s list of the top 75 IP Litigators in California. In the latest Chambers USA rankings, clients note he is a “very persuasive advocate who knows the law inside out and is able to get to the heart of the issue very quickly.“ Managing Intellectual Property described him as a “highly respected litigator in the California IP market and beyond.” Intellectual Asset Management’s Patent 1000 notes he is a “commercially savvy first-chair trial lawyer,” a “tenacious, pragmatic litigator who excels at finding innovative solutions,” “one of the best writers anywhere” and a “fantastic negotiator.”

Current clients include Sonos, Take-Two, Johnson & Johnson, Altice, Roblox, Go1, Checkpoint, RingCentral, Smart Contract, Hisense and Only Fans.

Clem serves on the Orrick’s Management Committee and is former head of the firm’s 100-lawyer IP practice.

Clem also maintains an active pro-bono practice focused on environmental impact litigation. He lives in Marin and spends his free time cycling around Mt. Tam.

Steven J. Routh Partner

Washington, D.C.

Steve knows how to minimize risk while delivering a client’s business objective, either by defeating an opponent’s case in court or by negotiating the best possible settlement. His ability to pinpoint the argument that will resonate with each judge and jury has enabled him to protect cutting-edge technology involving medical devices, automotive components, telecommunications standards, digital and 3D imaging, guest engagement systems, and semiconductor devices and manufacturing processes. He has also used those same skills in litigating numerous antitrust, unfair competition, and complex tort and contract cases.

For the last 20 years, Steve has focused on guiding Japanese and other Asia-based companies through patent litigation before the U.S. District Courts, ITC and Federal Circuit. He is one of only two lawyers ranked in the Chambers Global guide for having Foreign Expertise in Intellectual Property for Japan. Steve consistently has been described as a “great negotiator who is excellent at creating litigation strategy.” Clients recently interviewed by Chambers also noted, “Steve is a really fantastic tactical thinker with good legal instincts. He is also very collaborative.” Other clients have stated that “his command of the law is evident in his ability to understand it and also apply it across a wide variety of situations,“ while still others have praised his ability to make “very quick and sound tactical decisions.”

Diana M. Rutowski Partner

Silicon Valley

As a seasoned IP litigator and counselor, Diana’s practice has run the gamut from high stakes trials, to take-down and anti-counterfeiting campaigns, to employee departure and trade secret investigations. She represents clients in District and state courts and before administrative bodies including the ITC and the USPTO. For example, Diana tried and won a complex case in which the other side sought to extend the monopoly of an expired utility patent by claiming trade dress rights in a technical product feature. Drawing upon experience handling both complex patent and trademark matters, her team successfully argued that the intersection of patent and trademark policy prevented the other side from continuing its monopoly, clearing the way for her client to enter the market. With Diana at their side, companies can rest assured that their essential assets are protected, from their core technologies, to assets including their company name, logo, and website.

While at Orrick, Diana was seconded to the City and County of San Francisco, where she had the privilege to serve as an Assistant District Attorney, and first-chair several trials. She was also seconded to Salesforce, where she learned first-hand that the law comprises just one component of a company’s overall business strategy.

Diana is also passionate about her pro bono work. For example, she represented two detainees in Guantanamo in connection with their petitions for a writ of habeas corpus, and she is currently working with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area. Before joining the firm, Diana worked for the Legal Aid of Cambodia where she assisted with the prosecution of former Khmer Rouge officials and represented individuals who sought to reclaim land rights.

Diana is a member of the International Trademark Association, of ChIPs: Advancing Women in IP and of the Harvard Club of San Francisco.

Davin M. Stockwell Of Counsel

Orange County

Davin has experience in litigating and prosecuting patents in a wide variety of technology fields, including in-flight entertainment systems, semiconductors, semiconductor fabrication, design verification, computer software and hardware, power systems, financial services, e-business, business methods, medical and dental devices, and biotechnology.

Davin's experience includes preparing petitions for inter partes review and requests for inter partes and ex parte reexamination, and he is lead counsel in several inter partes review proceedings. Davin also counsels clients with regard to intellectual property strategies and has experience with prosecution of trademark applications, registration of copyrights, and protection of trade secrets. He further provides counseling and opinion services with regard to a diverse range of intellectual property matters.

Prior to joining Orrick, Davin was an associate at Lyon & Lyon LLP. Before and during law school, he was employed as an electrical engineer, developing peripheral devices for portable computer applications. Davin further has over a decade of electrical and mechanical design experience with commercial and military systems.

Gargi Talukder Partner

San Francisco

Gargi’s work in protein therapeutics includes patent estate development for antibody and fusion protein therapeutics and utilizes her knowledge of the patent landscape in this area to inform strategic portfolio management. In the fields of genomics and proteomics, she has conducted diligence and developed portfolios related to the biochemistry of sequencing technologies, as well as to the associated devices and machine learning methods utilized in sequencing methods. In the field of cancer immunotherapies (immuno-oncology), she has developed portfolios related to cell-based immunotherapy approaches, including targeted immune cell therapies and immunological pathway interventions.

In addition, Gargi assists clients in providing intellectual property support for transactional matters, including diligence for mergers and acquisitions as well as financing rounds. Her technical experience is routinely called upon in helping to develop litigation strategies for complex and high-stakes trials.

Gargi has authored scientific papers in peer-reviewed publications, as well as articles discussing medical and biological research in general-interest newspapers and periodicals. Her doctoral work in Neuroscience from Stanford University focused on structure-function studies in ion channels, with an emphasis on using genetic engineering and electrophysiology to identify structural elements of potassium channels that lead to their voltage and chemical sensitivity.

Xiang Wang Partner

Beijing; New York

Xiang is a Guiding Expert of the China Overseas IP Dispute Response & Guidance Center.

He also serves several consultancy roles for local regulatory authorities, including as IP Guiding Expert of Shenzhen IP Protection Center; IP Guiding Expert of Zhejiang Province IP Protection Center; IP Consultant of Technology Innovation Bureau of Nanjing Jiangbei New Area Management Committee (Jiangsu Province); Expert of IP Dispute Investigation and Appraisal of Foshan Market Supervision and Administration Bureau (Guangdong Province); and Expert for Overseas IP Protection and Assistance of Foshan Intellectual Property Bureau (Guangdong Province).

Dr. Wang is an arbitrator of Beijing Arbitration Commission and Beijing International Arbitration Center.

Xiang has extensive experience in assisting local and foreign-based multinational companies with all aspects of their IP rights in the U.S. and China, including IP litigation and arbitration, patent infringement, industrial espionage, trade secret misappropriation, copyright and trademark infringement, ITC Sec. 337 investigations, patent office proceedings including inter partes reviews (IPR), IP due diligence and portfolio counseling, technology export control, mass torts and product liability, securities litigation, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and other investigations and compliance. These matters have implicated a vast array of technologies, from software and electronics to renewable energy and medical devices as well as agricultural and building materials, to name just a few.

Xiang also works extensively on cybersecurity investigations and data privacy compliance matters for both Chinese and international clients.

Xiang has been particularly active in Chinese state-owned enterprises related U.S. litigation. Clients turn to his strategic and innovative advice thanks to his in-depth understanding of their business needs and political risks. Clients appreciate that he “understood the environment in the China legal system and can give nuanced advice”.

Xiang has developed the region’s premier IP practice based on his reputation as one of the few IP lawyers who has a doctorate in electrical and computer engineering, a Juris Doctor, a Chinese Certificate of Laws, and admission to practice law in New York, Indiana and before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Due to its success in patent disputes in the United States and China, involving both foreign and Chinese companies, Orrick IP team was exclusively featured in a documentary film “Patent Wars” by the China Central Television (CCTV).

Xiang is highly regarded for his practical legal advice that results from more than ten years of experience at medical and electronic device businesses before becoming a lawyer. He also has received four U.S. medical-technology patents in his name.

Henry Wu Managing Associate

Düsseldorf

Henry represents clients on business transactions involving IP and data protection aspects, including licensing and technology transfers, mergers and acquisitions, venture and other strategic transactions that involve the commercialization of IP.

He also advises his clients on strategic IP protection and enforcement, in particular in the field of patent, trademark and copyright law.

Prior to joining Orrick, Henry was an attorney with a law firm focusing on trademark, competition and media law.

Carol Yan Senior Associate

Beijing

Carol’s practice focuses on patent filing and prosecution, patent-related legal advice and patent litigation across a broad range of industries, including chemistry, materials science, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, semiconductor and auto mechanics. Carol has extensional experience in patent, trademark, domain name, copyright and trade secret.

Before joining Orrick, Carol worked with Lung Tin International Property Agent Ltd. and in Jones Day’s Beijing Office.

Shelley Zhang Partner

Beijing

Shelley's related IP experience includes the following:

• Patent invalidation proceedings, anti-counterfeiting, anti-piracy efforts and patent and trademark enforcement litigation in China.
• Prosecution of patent and trademark, including application preparation, office actions/oppositions procedures and reexamination procedures.
• Enforcement and technology transfer/licensing arrangements for substantial patent and trademark portfolios for companies doing business in China.
• Advising on IP protection strategies, R&D related IP issues and matters in relation to export and import control of technology.
• Assisting Chinese companies in Section 337 U.S. International Trade Commission investigations, patent infringement litigations and product liability litigations in the U.S. 
• IP due diligence and portfolio counseling.