James R. Sobieraj

Jim served as lead counsel in litigations involving the infringement, validity and ownership of patent rights, license agreements, misappropriation of trade secrets, trade dress infringement, unfair competition, false advertising, fraud, antitrust, and other commercial litigation. His experience includes bench and jury trials, temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions, Markman hearings, appeals, IPRs, arbitrations and mediations. He has represented companies in a variety of technologies, including in analog and digital electronics, telecommunications, software, medical devices, hydraulics, automotive components, and various consumer goods.

Jim does not take the trust that clients place in their outside counsel lightly. As both a legal and business advisor, seeing the full picture helps him align success for clients both in and out of the courtroom. For example, in a critical arbitration for a client, Jim was not only able to secure a $25 million judgment for his client, but he also used the rubric of the case to develop a plan for minimizing future litigation over similar claims, which included changing contracts and procedures for protecting the client’s most valuable trade secrets.

Through his active counseling practice, Jim advises clients on strategies for building, maintaining, enforcing, defending and commercializing patent portfolios. He works with clients in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia and Australia, and has developed a large global network of highly-regarded IP professionals.

Jim was an engineering intern at IBM Corporation prior to entering law school. Before joining Crowell & Moring, Jim served as president of Brinks Gilson & Lione from 2012 through 2017. During his tenure, the firm opened a new office in China.