Firm honored for delivering more than $1 billion in jury verdicts and multiple landmark IP litigation wins
IRVINE, Calif., June 25, 2026 – Leading intellectual property law firm Knobbe Martens was honored as a finalist for “Tech Industry Litigation Department of the Year” at the 2026 California Legal Awards, held June 24 in Los Angeles. Litigation partner Brian Horne was also recognized as a finalist for “Intellectual Property Attorney of the Year”. The California Legal Awards, presented annually by The Recorder, honor the most impactful attorneys and law firms shaping California’s legal landscape.
In Q&As published in The Recorder, Knobbe Martens Litigation Practice Chair Sheila Swaroop and Mr. Horne discussed the firm’s most significant litigation wins in the past year, as well as the strategies driving the firm’s success representing innovators and high-profile clients in significant disputes.
Ms. Swaroop highlighted several of the firm’s notable successes in the last year, where the team “leveraged […] deep technical expertise and trial experience to secure more than $1 billion in jury awards in high stakes disputes against some of the industry’s largest companies.” Among these successes were:
- A $634 million patent infringement verdict for medical technology pioneer Masimo against Apple— the largest patent infringement award in California in 2025 and among the largest ever in the medical device sector;
- A landmark $381 million antitrust verdict in favor of innovative medical device company Applied Medical against Medtronic, reinforcing fair competition in lifesaving surgical markets;
- A win for Edwards Lifesciences in a patent infringement dispute involving Edwards’ lifesaving transcatheter aortic heart valve product;
- Successes in Hatch-Waxman litigation cases on behalf of Lupin, Ltd. and Padagis Pharmaceuticals that ensured patient access to cost-effective treatment options for kidney disease and glaucoma, respectively; and
- An overwhelming defense victory for x-ray technology pioneer Sigray, defeating claims of willful patent infringement and trade secret misappropriation in a case with enormous financial stakes.
Mr. Horne, who led the trial team for Sigray, shared how it personally impacted him to represent the father-daughter duo who founded the company. “Guiding them through the process and protecting their lives’ work, which in turn benefits society, was one of the proudest moments of my career,” he told The Recorder in his finalist Q&A. He also shared his advice for new IP attorneys: “[D]edicate yourself to mastering the law, issues and facts so that you know them so well you can explain them simply. Despite what you might hear, great trial lawyers cannot get by on bluster. You have to put in the work.”
Learn more and read the firm’s complete Tech Industry Litigation Department of the Year Finalist Q&A here.
About Knobbe Martens’ Litigation Practice
Knobbe Martens’ litigators are trusted by innovators to protect technologies, brands, and creative assets when the stakes are highest. Our litigators handle complex patent infringement, trademark and trade dress disputes, copyright claims, trade secrets cases, and antitrust and unfair competition matters across the United States and internationally. We appear regularly in federal district court, state and federal courts, and administrative tribunals, and handle appeals before the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, delivering results that align with our clients’ business objectives.
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.
Subscribe for News and Updates
