Garret A. Leach, P.C.
Overview
Garret Leach is a nationally recognized first chair trial lawyer who focuses on patent and other intellectual property litigation. He is a registered patent attorney and has successfully led litigation teams in district courts throughout the country as well as at the International Trade Commission. He has also argued for his clients before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. His appellate arguments include a successful argument in front of the entire Federal Circuit sitting en banc.
Garret has litigated and counseled a diverse mix of clients across a variety of technologies, including protective cases, lighting fixtures, food packaging, website functionality, dental compounds, windshield wipers, cosmetics, abrasives and automotive glass.
In addition to litigating throughout the country, Garret has taken an active role as a past President and Board Member of the Intellectual Property Association of Chicago. He has used the experience and relationships he has developed to help clients navigate difficult intellectual property issues and, where possible, avoid litigation.
Garret has been listed in Chambers USA, America's Leading Lawyers for Business for Intellectual Property since 2018, Garret was recognized as an “Intellectual Property Trailblazer” by The National Law Journal. In 2015, Garret was recognized by The Legal 500 U.S. In 2013, he was recognized by the Financial Times as an “Innovative Lawyer” for his work on a successful ITC matter and related Federal Circuit Appeal. Since 2012, Garret has been named an “Illinois Super Lawyer” by Super Lawyers magazine.
Experience
Representative Matters
Valspar v. PPG, 16-cv-1429 (D.Minn.): patent case involving beverage can coatings
Otter Products v. Speculative Product Design and Tech 21, (ITC 337-TA-955): patent case involving protective cases
UbiComm v. W.W. Grainger, 13-cv-4936 (N.D. Ill.): patent case involving reminders for abandoned online shopping carts
LifeProof v. Seidio, Civil Action 13-cv-0158 (S.D. Cal.): patent case involving protective cases
LifeProof v. Joy Factory, Civil Action 13-cv-0159 (S.D. Cal.): patent case involving protective cases
Patent Group v. esurance, Civil Action 2:12cv25 (E.D. Tex.): patent case involving rotating webpage technology
Soverain Software v. W.W. Grainger, Civil Action 6:12cv146 (E.D. Tex.): Patent case involving online shopping cart technology
GE Lighting v. LSG, Civil Action 1:12-cv-03132 (N.D. Ohio): patent case involving LED lighting technology
Otterbox v. LifeProof, Civil Action No. 1:11-cv-02180 (D. Colo.): patent case involving iPhone cases
Bosch v. Pylon, et al., (ITC 337-TA-816): patent case involving windshield wiper technology
EMG Technology, LLC v. Radio Shack Corp. et al., Civil Action No. 6:11-cv-488 (E.D. Tex.): patent case involving manipulation of Internet content
Pall Corp. v. 3M Purification, Civil Action No. 03-00092 (E.D.N.Y.): patent case involving filter technology
DataTern v. Eli Lilly, et al., Civil Action No. 2:10-cv-00413 (E.D. Tex.): patent case involving object/relational mapping tools
Lumination LLC v. Fawoo Tech North America LLC, et al., Civil Action No. 1:10-cv-01069 (N.D. Ohio): patent case involving LED lighting technology
TQP Development, LLC v. Bank of New York Mellon Corp., et al., Civil Action No. 2:10-cv-085 (E.D. Tex.): patent case involving encryption technology
Green v. ConAgra, Civil Action No. 8:08-CV-200 (D. Neb.): patent case involving microwave packaging
Parallel Networks v. Priceline.com et al., Civil Action No. 2:08-CV-45 (E.D. Tex.): patent case involving dynamic web page generation
Baxter et. al. v. Fresenius, Civil Action No. C 07-01359 (N.D. Cal.): patent case involving dialysis machines
Arbitron v. Ipsos, et al., Civil Action No. 2-06CV-434 (E.D. Tex.): patent case involving media monitoring devices
3M v. Kerr Corporation, Civil Action No. 07-C-0087-C (W.D. Wis.): patent case involving dental composites
LML v. Telecheck et. al., Civil Action No. 04-858 (D. Del.): patent case involving electronic checking
B&H Manufacturing v. Kraft Foods, Civil Action No. 06 CV 284 (E.D. Cal.): patent case involving labeling machinery
Nature's First v. Kraft Foods and Sara Lee, Civil Action No. 2:06 CV 284 (E.D. Tex.): patent case involving agglomerated milk topping
TriStrata Technology v. Zirh International, Civil Action No. 1:06 CV 651 (D. Del.): patent case involving cosmetic formulas
Prokop v. 3M, Civil Action No. 5:05-CV-01249 (W.D. Okla.): patent case involving gel-filled computer wrist rests
Schwan's IP, LLC. v. Kraft Pizza Company, Civil Action No. 04-125 (D. Minn.): trademark case involving brick oven style pizza
Chase Products Company v. CCL Industries, Inc. and Zotos International, Inc., Civil Action No. 03 C 8142 (N.D. Ill.): patent case involving containers for hair products
Sargento Foods, Inc. v. Kraft Foods Inc., et al., Civil Action No. 02 C 0555 (W.D. Wis.): patent case involving food packaging incorporating slider zipper mechanisms
Action Gaming, Inc. and IGT v. Alliance Gaming Corp., et al., Civil Action No. CV-01-1109 (D. Nev.): patent case involving method for playing video poker
Ole K. Nilssen v. Osram Sylvania, Inc., Civil Action No. 01-CV-3585 (N.D. Ill.): patent case involving electronic ballasts
Zotos International, Inc. v. Vernico Products Ltee., et al., Civil Action 00-C-6793 (N.D. Ill.): patent case involving chemical formulation of hair perming products
International Game Technology v. Aristocrat Technologies Inc., et al., Civil Action No. CV-S-01-1498 (D. Nev.): patent case involving various features related to gaming machines
Wiand v. Minnesota, Mining & Manufacturing, Civil Action No. 99-C-4724 (E.D. Mich.): patent case involving abrasive brushes
Fort James Corporation v. Solo Cup Company, Civil Action No. 99-C-0827 (E.D. Wis.): patent case involving paper board products
Kraft Foods, Inc. v. International Trading Co., Civil Action No. 98-C-0491-S (W.D. Wis.): patent case involving lunch combination products and packaging
Village of Pinehurst v. Clubcorp Inc., Clubcorp Resorts Inc., and Pinehurst, Inc., Civil Action No. 1:99 CV 00771 (M.D.N.C.): trademark case involving use of the Pinehurst name
Motorola, Inc. v. Qualcomm, Inc., Civil Action No. 97-372 (RBB) (S.D. Cal.): patent and trade secret case involving various aspects of cellular telephones
Time Inc. v. Petersen Publishing Co., Civil Action No. 97-5879 (HB) (S.D.N.Y.): trademark case involving Teen People magazine
Security and Access et al. v. Motorola, Inc., Civil Action No. 96-287 (SLR) (D. Del.): patent case involving electronic locking feature on cellular telephones
PPG Industries Inc. v. Guardian Industries Corp., Civil Action No. 94-1112 (W.D. Pa.): patent case involving chemical formulations for automotive glass
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Memberships & Affiliations
Member, Trial Bar for the Northern District of Illinois
Past President and Board Member, Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago
Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
- 1996, Illinois
- Registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Courts
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Trial Bar1999
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin1999
- United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit1999
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan2000
- United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit2004
- United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin2006
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois2007
- United States District Court for the District of Nebraska2008
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas2011
- United States District Court for the District of Colorado2011
- United States Court of International Trade2014
Education
- Loyola University Chicago School of LawJ.D.magna cum laude1996Articles Editor, Law Journal
- University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignB.S., Industrial Engineering1990