James L. Davis, Jr.

A veteran of district courts, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, Davis represents technology giants in high-stakes litigation, including a series of wins for Emerson Electric Co. in a 10-patent litigation against SIPCO.

As longtime lead PTAB counsel for Emerson, Davis had led efforts that have invalidated nearly 100 claims and he continues to take on new challenges such as 10-patent litigation in the Northern District of Georgia about Emerson’s Smart Wireless products, as well as appeals at the Federal Circuit, litigation in Germany and an U.S. International Trade Commission investigation and parallel inter partes review proceedings.

In November, he successfully fought an appeal in the Federal Circuit for interactive entertainment companies Activision Blizzard Inc., Electronic Arts Inc. and another video gaming company after the PTAB found unpatentable 37 claims across three patents.

Following his oral argument, the court’s precent-setting opinion affirmed the PTAB’s finding. Acceleration Bay LLC v. Activision Blizzard Inc. et al., 2017-2084 (Fed. Cir., filed Nov. 6, 2018).

Davis’ other clients include Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., NXP Semiconductors N.V., and Spansion Inc.

“We’re very busy and have a lot of different irons in the fire, which is wonderful,” Davis said.

Davis said Emerson is a long-time client that “also happens to be a client from my hometown of St. Louis.”

It brings a connection beyond Cardinals baseball: Davis’ first job was as a website designer for now-former Emerson subsidiary USA Motors.

Davis was interested in math and science growing up, and he discovered a mock trial program in high school that introduced him to the law and convinced him to pursue a career as a lawyer. He met his wife through mock trial, and he’s coached his high school and college alma maters as a volunteer.

A graduate of University of Illinois College of Law, Davis also has a pro bono practice that’s handling matters with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County.

— Meghann M. Cuniff