Irfan Lateef is head of the firm’s Electrical, Semiconductor & Computer Technology Litigation committee and also leads the firm’s Japan practice.
With over two decades of experience, Irfan ranks among the premier IP litigators in the “World’s Leading Patent Professionals” for the Patent 1000 guide by Intellectual Asset Management (IAM) magazine. He has been listed in the “Legal 500,” and he is included among the Daily Journal’s “100 leading IP attorneys in California” for his extraordinary representation of Toshiba Corp.
Clients turn to Irfan to tackle some of their most technically complex issues. His engineering background gives him the ability to master the technology. His experience includes wireless communications (e.g., GSM, GPRS, UMTS, LTE, 802.11, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee), semiconductors, audio and video decoding technologies (e.g., MPEG), consumer electronics (e.g., televisions, video game consoles, smartphones, tablets), advanced signal processing, and digital and analog circuitry. With a master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering, he possesses unique insight for medical device litigation. He is familiar with noninvasive patient monitoring, breath analyte monitoring, blood component separation, atrial fibrillation devices, ECG and EEG signal processing, imaging (e.g., MRI), and acoustic signal processing.
He is an expert in representing Japanese companies in IP disputes. He has been counsel to Toshiba, Canon Medical, Furuno, Keylex, Takata, Panasonic Avionics and others. He appreciates cultural nuances, can build consensus in evaluating risk, and maintains clear, prompt communications. He also has a beginner’s level of Japanese language proficiency.
Using a litigator’s hindsight perspective to anticipate business opportunities, Irfan also advises clients in areas ranging from initial product design, to IP rights tactics and monetization, to ongoing development and market penetration. He is well-versed in the challenges his clients face and the questions that must be addressed and answered, providing solutions that fit their business and financial objectives.
Passionate about his clients, their innovation and distinctive goals, Irfan is meticulous, considerate, and helpful by nature. He often provides value far beyond mere legal services.
Georgetown University, J.D.
Northwestern University, M.S., Biomedical Engineering, Cabell Fellow
University of Illinois – Urbana – Champaign, B.S.E., Electrical Engineering, Graduated with highest honors and Bronze Tablet distinction, Eta Kappa Nu Electrical Engineering Honor Society, Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society
State Bar of California
Supreme Court of the United States
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
U.S. District Court – Central District of California
U.S. District Court – Northern District of California
U.S. District Court – Southern District of California
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Biotech
Diagnostic Tools
Chemical, Industrial & Materials
Automation & Robotics
Electrical
Semiconductors
Communications Technology
Cellular Networking & Communications
Low-Power Networks
Radio
Television
Videoconferencing
Wireless Local Area Networks
Electrical, Semiconductor & Computer Technology
Electronics & Semiconductors
Healthcare Information Technology
Software & IT
Energy
Energy Efficient Technologies
Lighting
Solar Power
Financial Services & Business Methods
Blockchain & Smart Contracts
Cloud Computing
Cryptocurrency & Encryption
Medical Devices & Procedures
Ablation Technology
Aesthetics & Implants
AI & Machine Learning
Cardiac Assist Device (E.g., LVAD & Heart Pumps)
Cardiac Rhythm Management
Cardiovascular
Dermatology & Aesthetics
Diagnostics
Glucose Monitoring & Insulin Infusion
Imaging
Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD)
Medical Informatics & Software Systems
Mental Health & Wellness
Mobility Preservation
Neuromodulation
Ophthalmology & Eye Care
Pacemakers & Electrical Stimulation Devices
Robotics
Ultrasound
Vital Signs, Physiologic, & Hemodynamic Monitoring
Transportation & Vehicles
Electronics (Audio / Video, Communication, Navigation, Security)
Appellate Litigation
Covered Business Method (CBM)
Due Diligence
Infringement Risk
Inter Partes Review (IPR)
IP Strategy
ITC Litigation
Litigation
Patent Litigation
Patent Strategy & Prosecution
Patent Trial & Appeal Board (PTAB) Litigation
Post-Grant
PostGrant Review (PGR)
PTAB Overview
Tech Transactions
Trade Secret
Trade Secret & Employee Mobility Litigation
Trade Secret & Employee Mobility Litigation
Trade Secret Protection Advice, Counseling, Employee & Nondisclosure Agreements
U.S. Patent Prosecution
Unfair Competition Litigation
Irfan has received multiple awards for his legal accomplishments:
- Recognized as an Honoree in the Lawyers of Color 2022 Hot List
- Named to IAM Strategy 300: The World’s Leading IP Strategists (2021-2022) which “identifies the individuals who are leading the way in the development and implementation of strategies that maximize the value of IP portfolios”
- Named one of the “World’s Leading Patent Professionals” for litigation in the Patent 1000 guide by Intellectual Asset Management (IAM) magazine (2013-2023). In the 2018 guide, Irfan was described as “one of the most experienced trial lawyers in the ITC”.
- Recognized as an Honoree in the Lawyers of Color Nation’s Best 2020 List
- Selected for inclusion in the “Southern California Super Lawyers” list for his work in intellectual property litigation from 2010-2021 by Super Lawyers magazine
- Recognized by Legal 500 for Patent Litigation in 2013
- Recognized by the Daily Journal among the 100 leading intellectual property (IP) attorneys in California for 2011. He was also included in the 75 Leading Intellectual Property Litigators list, recognized for his extraordinary representation of Toshiba Corp., a pioneer in notebook computer technology
- International Intellectual Property Law Association
- International Bar Association
