Firm recognized for noteworthy patent infringement and trade secret jury trial wins for Masimo and Sigray, Inc.
IRVINE, Calif., February 25, 2026 – Demonstrating Knobbe Martens’ across-the-board strength in IP litigation, the firm was recognized in Daily Journal’s ‘Top Verdicts of 2025’ report for two standout successes involving complex patent and trade secret disputes. Knobbe Martens was one of only three firms recognized for multiple cases, and the only firm honored for both plaintiff and defense verdicts. The trial teams for both cases were led by partner Brian Horne, managing partner of the firm’s Los Angeles office.
In the first case, the Daily Journal recognized the team from Knobbe Martens that led medical device pioneer Masimo to a victory over Apple in a dispute involving Masimo’s patented heart monitoring technology. Following an eight-day jury trial in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, a jury returned a verdict of patent infringement on all claims asserted, and awarded Masimo more than $634 million in damages.
The Knobbe Martens team that represented Masimo was led by Steve Jensen. Mr. Horne led the trial team, which included Brian Claassen, Sheila Swaroop and Joseph Re as other trial presenters. The team further included Nicholas Zovko, Perry Oldham, Kendall Loebbaka, Douglas Wentzel, Adam Powell, Daniel Hughes, Mark Kachner, Ben Shiroma, Laura Liebman, Melis Tirhi, Isabella Pestana and Rhett Ramsey. Sullivan and Cromwell partner Dustin Guzior and special counsel Laurie Stempler served as co-counsel on the case.
In the other jury trial success recognized by the Daily Journal, the firm secured an overwhelming defense verdict for x-ray technology innovator Sigray, Inc. in a patent and trade secret dispute with Carl Zeiss Microscopy, Inc. The jury declined to award Zeiss lost-profits damages and rejected claims against Sigray for willful patent infringement and trade secret misappropriation.
Mr. Horne, who also led the team representing Sigray, told the Daily Journal, “This victory ensures that Sigray’s cutting-edge technology will continue to be available.”
Alan Laquer and Kendall Loebbaka served as trial presenters alongside Mr. Horne. Speaking on the complexity of the case, Ms. Loebbaka commented, “As a defendant, it is always a challenge to convince the jury to wait until your client can tell their side of the story.”
Ultimately, “the jury saw that our clients are sincere people that truly wanted to advance science—they did not infringe willfully,” Mr. Laquer added.
In addition to Mr. Horne, Mr. Laquer and Ms. Loebbaka, the team representing Sigray included Craig Summers, Nicholas Zovko, Hans Mayer, Ben Shiroma, Rhett Ramsey, and Melis Tirhi.
Read more on each of these verdicts in Daily Journal here. [Subscription required]
In recent months, Knobbe Martens’ top-tier litigators have delivered a series of high-profile wins for clients in multiple venues, and have secured more than $1 billion in jury awards. In addition to the victories noted here, the firm recently secured a $381 million win for Applied Medical in an antitrust case against Medtronic. The firm also delivered a complete win for Veros Credit and two of its employees in a trade-secret misappropriation case.
About Knobbe Martens’ Litigation Practice
Knobbe Martens delivers resourceful, creative solutions for our clients that enable them to secure compensation when competitors tread on their IP rights or falsely allege infringement. Our litigators protect and enforce IP rights in state, federal and appellate courts across the country, before the ITC, PTAB and TTAB, through mediation, arbitration and out-of-court settlements, and internationally. We are about the end game, consistently delivering favorable results to protect the world’s most well-known brands, fast-growth companies and entrepreneurs. While aggressively defending our clients’ rights, we take a practical approach to problem solving, work diligently to identify potential risks and opportunities, and develop winning strategies.
About Knobbe Martens
Knobbe Martens protects the ideas that drive innovation and propel our world forward. As a leading intellectual property and technology law firm, clients worldwide rely on us to safeguard their products, brands, and technologies through strategic counsel and high-impact litigation. With offices across the U.S., our lawyers and technology specialists collaborate to deliver tailored solutions for clients ranging from multinational corporations to start-ups and emerging companies at every stage. Discover more at www.knobbe.com.
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