Semiconductor
Tailored approaches designed to meet the needs of semiconductor clients.
The semiconductor industry continues to play a crucial role in nearly every new tech product, so ensuring comprehensive legal protection is critical.
Perkins Coie is proud to serve emerging and established entities, informed by our long history in the industry.
Our clients benefit from our experienced corporate and litigation support. We excel in complex, high-stakes patent litigation and are frequently sought for counsel on patent law and policy. Our contributions extend to filing amicus briefs and providing vital perspectives to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and Supreme Court of the United States.
We frequently represent
- Vertically integrated semiconductor companies.
- Fabless semiconductor companies.
- Manufacturers that purchase large quantities of integrated circuits.
- Semiconductor capital equipment manufacturers.
- Electric design automation companies.
Our Team
Our attorneys have significant experience handling a range of legal needs for our semiconductor clients.
Patent Litigation
We prosecute and defend semiconductor patent claims across the United States, including in such key jurisdictions as the U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Central Districts of California, the Eastern District of Texas, and the District of Delaware.
We have comprehensive experience in each stage of patent litigation, from preliminary injunction hearings, Markman hearings, and International Trade Commission investigations to trials by jury and bench.
Patent Procurement
We prosecute patents in a wide range of technical areas, including analog and digital circuit design, complex mixed-signal integrated circuits, general semiconductor fabrication and process patents (e.g., CMP, CVD, ALD, lithography, and electrochemical deposition/polishing). Our experience also includes baseband processors, volatile and nonvolatile memory, inverters, regulators, high speed serial bus integrated circuits, probing/testing technologies, and semiconductor structures and integration flows.
Our team comprises more than 120 lawyers and agents, all registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and many of whom bring robust industry experience as practicing engineers or hold advanced technical degrees.
Intellectual Property & Other Litigation
We deftly manage multifaceted litigation involving the full spectrum of intellectual property (IP) concerns, as well as antitrust, securities, contractual, product warranty, and distributor disputes.
Licensing
Our services include licensing, research, development, supply, distribution, consulting and service agreements, outsourcing, joint ventures and strategic alliances, patent licensing programs, internet and e-commerce, marketing, promotional and merchandising agreements, and IP auditing and counseling.
Corporate Transactions
We assist semiconductor companies in private and public debt and equity transactions, technology transfer, mergers and acquisitions, due diligence reviews, secured transactions, research and development arrangements, sales and supply agreements, antitrust and standard-setting activities, corporate governance, and employee benefits and executive compensation.
We support semiconductor startups in their early stages, from the formation of entities to securing venture capital. We also frequently act as outside counsel, addressing the various day-to-day legal matters that emerge for these enterprises.