Stefani E. Shanberg

Shanberg knows a lot about litigating before the U.S. International Trade Commission, as evidenced by the fact that she was the president of the International Trade Commission Trial Lawyers Association in 2017, the first president ever from the West Coast.

She has handled numerous cases at the ITC over her career.

In October, however, she learned some new skills. She and her team presented the first ITC trial conducted remotely.

“We worked really hard to troubleshoot the technology and make sure everything ran smoothly,” she said.

With the firm’s IT professionals, they found replacements for sticky notes, team huddles and war rooms, since her lawyers were scattered across the country.

Remarkably, everything ran smoothly — so smoothly that she published an article, with tips and suggestions, describing what she learned.

For that case, Shanberg represented Leviton Manufacturing Co. Inc. The court has not yet issued its decision. Certain High-Density Fiber Optic Equipment and Components Thereof, 337-TA-1194 (ITC, filed Feb. 21, 2020).

A major client is Amazon.com Inc. in challenges to patents in many of the goods it sells. Products involved in her cases range from LEDs to women’s clothes.

Another matter for Amazon, involving touchscreen technology, extended across three cases in the Western District of Texas, two in the ITC and one in Germany.

She was geared up to challenge Neodron Ltd.’s right to ask for an ITC investigation because the company is a nonpracticing entity and so has no U.S. market to protect.

The case settled late last year. In the Matter of Certain Touch-Controlled Mobile Devices, Computers, and Components Thereof, 337-TA-1193 (ITC, filed Feb. 14, 2020).

Shanberg also put in extra effort last year in her role as the head of her firm’s San Francisco litigation department. Her goal was to ensure everyone stayed productive and happy working remotely, she said.

She even put on a speed dating-like event over Zoom for people in the department to meet the new hires.

“That was a big focus of mine to make sure that new people felt like they could get to know people and how things were done, even in a remote work environment,” Shanberg said.

— Don DeBenedictis