Geoff brings more than 21 years of experience to his practice, which focuses on high-technology patent, antitrust, and commercial litigation, as well as environmental litigation, including contamination disputes, toxics issues, government enforcement, and water and other natural resources disputes.
He is also a member both of the firm’s Intellectual Property and Technology practice and its Energy, Natural Resources, and Environment practice and has extensive experience with patent litigation, environmental citizen suits, Proposition 65, and cleanup cost recovery actions.
Geoff’s clients span a wide range of industries and include semiconductor manufacturers, consumer electronics makers, Electronic Design Automation specialists, transportation companies, real estate trusts and trustees, banks, retailers, and consumer products manufacturers.
With an eye toward avoiding litigation whenever possible, he adopts a sound, cost-effective strategy that focuses on successful resolution through settlement or in court.
Experience:
- Represented a large, multinational semiconductor manufacturer in multiple patent and antitrust actions against a high-profile computer memory interface technology firm
- Helped to try patent infringement case and obtained a favorable jury verdict and a permanent injunction on behalf of major EDA company against its primary competitor
- Defended a price fixing antitrust suit against major semiconductor manufacturer ultimately resolved by settlement
- Defended and settled state hazardous waste handling enforcement action against a major transportation company
- Defending a large, multinational consumer electronics manufacturer in patent litigation
- Prosecuting patent litigation against major web services providers on behalf of the bankruptcy estate of a major cable internet provider
- Litigated and settled international arbitration for software development firm following acquisition of Canadian software development partnership
- Litigated and settled software development contract dispute between software engineering consulting firm and its client
- Litigated numerous federal and state law cost recovery lawsuits in federal and state courts on behalf of landowners, manufacturers, a major railroad, and energy companies
- Defended and counseled clients facing Proposition 65 claims, including clients in the consumer products, furniture, retail, home products, construction, and dry cleaning industries
- Advised a major consumer products testing company regarding its Proposition 65 compliance testing services
- Represented major utility in natural resource litigation
- Successfully defended major bank through appeal and recovered attorneys’ fees in a dispute with a developer over contaminated commercial real estate
- Successfully defended California petroleum company through appeal against a Clean Water Act citizen suit
- Represented renewable energy company and dry cleaner franchise in administrative proceedings before the South Coast Air Quality Management District
- Successfully defended petroleum distributor and its employee against allegations of trade secret theft, obtaining dismissal on summary judgment
Admissions:
- California
- U.S. District Court, Eastern, Northern, and Southern Districts of California
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
Education:
- Santa Clara University School of Law, J.D., 1991: cum laude; Emery Scholar
- University of California at Berkeley, B.A., 1987
Member:
- San Francisco Bar Association
Cost
Rate : $$$