Jeffrey E. Ostrow

Facing down a major player like Broadcom Corp. is a formidable task, but San Jose-based SiRF Technology was ready to fight to the finish.

"It was an important case for the company, because it was set around its core technology," Ostrow said. "They were a very serious competitor."

Ostrow defended SiRF and its parent, CSR, a leading maker of GPS components for navigation and wireless devices, against several patent infringement suits brought by Broadcom.

The litigation affected nearly every cellular handset and personal navigation device manufacturer in the industry, Ostrow said.

In January 2011, he successfully negotiated a settlement on behalf of SiRF resolving all litigation between the parties pending in the Central District of California, in Delaware and at the U.S. International Trade Commission.

Under the otherwise confidential settlement, both parties agreed not to pursue any infringement actions against each other or third parties based on the use of each other's products for five years.

For more than 20 years, Ostrow has litigated and tried IP cases for both large and small technology companies, among them Intel, Cisco, HP, CSR, Apple, Seagate and Avistar Communications.

He also works on the corporate side and is regularly called on to counsel clients on complicated IP issues.

Wearing two hats suits Ostrow.

"I see issues that people who only do corporate work don't see," he said. "It does give me a perspective that is not particularly common, but is important in being a well-rounded IP lawyer."

- PAT BRODERICK

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