Ramsey M. Al-Salam
Ramsey Al-Salam is a recognized leader in patent and IP litigation.
For more than 35 years, Ramsey Al-Salam has represented clients in intellectual property (IP) and technology-related disputes, with a particular emphasis on patent litigation. He has served as lead trial counsel in cases involving a wide variety of technologies and has particularly strong experience with cases involving computer, networking, and radio frequency identification technology.
Drawing on his academic training and teaching experience, Ramsey enjoys conveying in understandable terms the complex science and technical issues that underly his cases. He represents high-profile clients in the technology sector, as well as smaller entities, and prioritizes understanding his clients' businesses and their goals to ensure that he resolves disputes effectively and efficiently.
Regularly acknowledged as one of the foremost lawyers in his field, clients praised him as a "top-notch litigator" and an "excellent lawyer" in Chambers USA, which consistently lists him in "Band One" of IP litigators. Additionally, Best Lawyers in America named him Seattle Patent Litigator of the Year in 2014, 2019, and 2024.
In addition to his litigation work, Ramsey is a frequent speaker on IP and litigation topics. Respected as an educator, he has served as adjunct professor of patent and trade secret law at Seattle University School of Law since 1999.
Education & Credentials
Education
- UC Berkeley School of Law, (formerly Boalt Hall), J.D., 1983
- University of California, Santa Barbara, B.A., Mathematics/Economics, with highest honors, 1980
Bar and Court Admissions
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Washington
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California
- Supreme Court of the United States
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
Related Employment
- Seattle University School of Law, Adjunct Professor, Patent and Trade Secret Law, 1999-present
- University of Washington School of Law, WA, Adjunct Professor, Patent Law, Fall 2001
- Seed & Berry, Seattle, WA, Partner, 1995-1999; Of Counsel, 1993-1995
- Bogle & Gates, Seattle, WA, Associate, 1989-1993
- Lyon & Lyon, Los Angeles, CA, Associate, 1983-1989
Professional Recognition
Named IAM Global Leader, 2020-2024
Listed in Thomson Reuters “Stand-out Lawyers,” 2024
Recognized by Managing IP as an IP Star, 2016-2024
Named Best Lawyers’ Seattle "Litigation - Patent Lawyer of the Year," 2014, 2019, 2024; "Litigation - Intellectual Property Lawyer of the Year," 2011, 2012, 2024
Listed in Intellectual Asset Management Patent 1000, 2012-2024; "Litigation Gold Band," 2012-2022
Repeatedly listed in Chambers USA for IP litigation ("Band One"), 2014-2024
Listed in Best Lawyers in America: Litigation - Intellectual Property; Litigation - Patent, 1995-2024
Washington Law & Politics, "Washington's Top 40 Intellectual Property Lawyers", "Washington's Top 100 Lawyers" and "Washington's Super Lawyers," 2003-2024
Impact
Professional Leadership
- International Association of Defense Counsel
- Seattle IP Inn of the Court
- Washington Bar Association, Intellectual Property Section
News
Professional Experience
Representative Patent Litigation
NXP USA, Inc. et al v. Impinj, Inc.
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington
Lead and trial counsel representing Impinj in patent litigation relating to radio-frequency identification (RFID) integrated circuits. Obtained summary judgment of noninfringement on five patents, and a jury verdict of noninfringement on a sixth patent.
Impinj, Inc. v. NXP USA, Inc.
U. S. District Court for the Northern District of California
Lead and trial counsel for Impinj in patent litigation relating to RFID integrated circuits. Obtained jury verdict of $18,500,000 for defendant’s infringement of two patents, including a finding of willful infringement on one.
Sungkyunkwan University Foundation for Corporate Collaboration v. Pinterest, Inc.
U. S. District Court for the Northern District of California
Lead counsel for Pinterest in patent litigation relating to providing personalized content in response to a user query. Obtained summary judgment of noninfringement.
Corus Realty Holdings Inc. v. Zillow Group, Inc., Zillow, Inc. and Trulia, LLC
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
Lead counsel for Zillow in patent litigation relating to real estate applications. Obtained summary judgment of noninfringement which was affirmed on appeal.
Glasswall Solutions Ltd. et. al. v. Clearswift, Ltd.
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
Lead counsel for Clearswift Limited in patent litigation relating to malware filtering. Obtained dismissal under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12, which was affirmed on appeal.
Costco Wholesale Corporation v. Acushnet Company
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington
Lead counsel representing Costco in a multiple-patent case relating to golf balls. Case settled.
Radware v. F5 Networks
U. S. District Court for the Northern District of California and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
Lead and trial counsel for F5 Networks in patent litigation relating to network packet routing. Obtained summary judgment of noninfringement on one of three patents, and favorable judgment on damages on other patents, all affirmed on appeal.
DNT, LLC v. Sprint Nextel Corporation, et al.
U. S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
Lead counsel representing T-Mobile USA, Inc. in a multidefendant patent litigation relating to wireless data cards. Successfully obtained jury verdict of invalidity and noninfringement.