An experienced and proven advocate and trial lawyer, John Sganga has spent over three decades successfully and exclusively litigating intellectual property and technology disputes. John’s cases always involve a client whose technology or brand has been stolen or high-jacked, or who has been wrongly accused of doing so.
A quick study in understanding even the most pioneering innovation, John is able to distill complex technologies to their core while gaining an in depth understanding of his client’s business model and financial imperatives. John’s skills as an effective communicator and persuasive negotiator enable him to thrive in high pressure situations and high-stakes cases. He is regarded as someone who remains calm while out-thinking and out-persuading his opponents.
John is personally dedicated to working diligently to define a win for his client at the onset of every matter, developing a distinct approach to problem-solving and leading his team in executing the right strategy appropriately and energetically to victory. Having represented plaintiffs and defendants alike, John has secured courtroom victories of over $100 million for both plaintiffs and defendants in high-stakes technology disputes. He appears in courts nationwide, including jury trials, bench trials, arbitrations, appeals and administrative proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) and the International Trade Commission (ITC).
John’s experience includes patent, trade secret, copyright and trademark infringement matters, as well as contract disputes involving technology development and IP rights. The industries with which John is familiar are also diverse and range from medical and dental devices, engine technology and software, to food and beverage and consumer products.
John has been active as a bar leader, is a past chair of his firm’s Litigation practice, a frequent lecturer on IP law and litigation strategy, an author of a book and numerous articles, and has taught patent litigation as an adjunct law professor. He has been recognized with numerous awards as a stand-out lawyer locally (Super Lawyers), state-wide (Daily Journal “Top IP Attorneys in California”), nationally (The Best Lawyers in America, BTI “Client Service All-Star” and Martindale Hubbell AV judicial pre-eminent rating), and internationally (IAM “World’s Leading Patent Professionals”).
New York University School of Law (NYU), J.D.
Lafayette College, B.S., Mechanical Engineering, Phi Beta Kappa Honorary Fraternity, Tau Beta Pi Honorary Fraternity, Pi Tau Sigma Honorary Fraternity, President of Sigma Nu Fraternity
State Bar of California
Supreme Court of California
Supreme Court of the United States
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
U.S. District Court – Central District of California
U.S. District Court – Eastern 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
Chemical, Industrial & Materials
Consumer Products & Services
Energy
Medical Devices & Procedures
Transportation & Vehicles
Advertising
Appellate Litigation
Copyright
Copyright Litigation
Copyright Litigation
False Advertising Litigation
False Advertising Litigation
Inter Partes Review (IPR)
ITC Litigation
Litigation
Patent Litigation
Patent Trial & Appeal Board (PTAB) Litigation
Post-Grant
PostGrant Review (PGR)
Trade Secret
Trade Secret & Employee Mobility Litigation
Trade Secret & Employee Mobility Litigation
Trademark & Brand Protection
Trademark and Brand Protection Litigation
Trademark and Brand Protection Litigation
Unfair Competition Litigation
Unfair Competition Litigation
Mr. Sganga has received multiple awards and has been honored in national forums for his legal accomplishments:
- Received the 2021 Harmon G. Scoville Award, an honor presented to “a member of the Orange County legal community whose career exemplifies the highest standards of the legal profession, who is widely known as a champion of the constitutional system of justice, and who has made significant contributions to the OCBA and its community,” by the Orange County Bar Association
- Selected by peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® (2007 – 2022). In the 2018 – 2024 editions, he was recognized in the appellate practice, copyright law, intellectual property litigation, patent litigation, patent law, trade secrets and trademark law categories. He was also named Orange County’s 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2024 “Lawyer of the Year” for his work in intellectual property litigation, trade secrets law, and appellate practice
- Recognized by The Legal 500 “United States” for Patent Litigation (2021-2022)
- Named one of the “World’s Leading Patent Professionals” for litigation in the Patent 1000 guide by Intellectual Asset Management (IAM) magazine (2015 – 2023). In the 2019 guide he was commended as a “dynamo who pursues client-defined wins with incredible energy”.
- Recognized as a Patent Star in Managing IP’s “IP STARS” guide for his outstanding intellectual property legal work (2018 – 2023)
- Received “Local Litigation Star” and “California Litigation Star” rankings in Benchmark Litigation (2018 – 2020, 2023) and in the 2021 and 2023 guide he was further recognized as a “National Practice Area Star”.
- Named in the Daily Journal‘s list of the “Top IP Attorneys in California” (2014, 2016 – 2020)
- Named a 2018 and 2022 “Life Science Star” for Patent Litigation in the Legal Media Group’s (LMG) “LMG Life Sciences” Guide
- Repeatedly selected by Super Lawyers magazine in the area of Intellectual Property Litigation
- Recognized in BTI Consulting Group‘s 2017 “Client Service All-Stars” report for his superior client service in IP Litigation
- Recognized among the Top 50 Orange County Lawyers for 2015 in Super Lawyers Magazine
- Recognized by American Lawyer Media as a Top Rated Lawyer in Intellectual Property Law for 2013
- Received Martindale Hubbell AV Preeminent rating (as voted by Bar members and Judiciary)
Orange County Barristers
Board of Directors, President
Orange County Bar Association
Board of Directors
Community Outreach Committee, Co-founder, Chair
Conference of Delegates to State Bar Convention, Chair of OCBA Delegation
Master’s Division, Program Chair, Secretary
Pro Bono Representations of OCBA on Intellectual Property Law Issues
Association of Business Trial Lawyers
Board of Governors Orange County Chapter, Program Chair
William P. Gray Legion Lex Inn of Court
Master Bencher
Executive Committee, Membership Chair, President
Howard T. Markey Inn of Court
Master Bencher
Co-chair, Programs
Orange County Patent Law Association
Federal Courts Committee, Chair
Orange County Bar Foundation
Board of Directors
Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference, Lawyer Representative
