Laura A. Seigle

Her client, San Jose-based Tessera Technologies Inc., was embroiled in two patent lawsuits filed by a former patent licensing partner, until Seigle drafted the summary judgment motion that paved the way for a $196 million settlement announced in February.

Powertech Technology Inc. had struck a patent licensing agreement with Tessera in 2003, but their partnership began to waver when Powertech began withholding royalty payments. In 2007, Tessera, a patent holding company, filed a complaint against Powertech's unlicensed customers in the Washington, D.C.-based International Trade Commission.

Powertech tried to pressure Tessera by filing two lawsuits. Powertech Technology Inc. v. Tessera, Inc., CV10-945 (N.D. Cal., filed March 5, 2010); Powertech Technology Inc. v. Tessera, Inc., CV11-6121 (N.D. Cal., filed Dec. 6, 2011).

Seigle's summary judgment motion in the 2011 lawsuit convinced U.S. District Judge Claudia A. Wilken in Oakland to strike out all but one claim pursued by PowerTech, while keeping all but one counterclaim asserted by Tessera.

"The decision made it clear that there was nothing left in their case." Seigle said. "On the other hand, the summary judgment ruling kept our case and all of our damages claims."

Wilken found in January that Powertech should have kept making full royalty payments to Tessera per the terms of the licensing agreement, even if the Tawianese chip packaging company had meritorious claims to challenge the agreement.

Following Wilken's order and settlement conferences with U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul S. Grewal in San Jose, the companies announced in February the deal that required Powertech to pay $196 million to Tessera.

"The best part for me is that you're working with both clients who are at the top of their field," Seigle said.

- Kevin Lee