Jackson Walker partner Chris Rourk was interviewed and quoted in the Aug. 27, 2012, MacNewsWorld article “Apple/Samsung Feud Will Stay Burning Long After Calif. Verdict.”
Chris weighed in on the recent Apple/Samsung verdict, where a federal jury, after only 21 hours of deliberation, found Samsung guilty of infringing on several Apple patents.
“The jury foreman spoke in great detail about the deliberations, and it was somewhat unusual to get a decision like that so quickly,” he said. “Whether or not that may have resulted in any error or problems, it’s hard to say, but the verdict can still be attacked on appeal.”
Chris also noted that this high-profile case might make those in the industry more cautious from now on.
“It’s possible it will make competitor versus competitor litigation perhaps something that parties consider more seriously,” Chris told MacNewsWorld. “In general, it’s risky to assert your core patents, because if they are invalidated, that opens the door to allow a lot of competitors to use those inventions. And every party that’s accused of infringement can defend against those patents, so even if you win against one competitor, you could lose against the next.”
Chris Rourk has extensive experience in helping clients protect their intellectual property in the semiconductor, software and telecom fields. He has prepared and filed more than 400 patent applications, has prosecuted in excess of 200 patents to issuance, and manages client domestic and international patent portfolios. He has also assisted with numerous intellectual property transactional matters, including licensing, mergers and acquisitions, funding transactions, and joint ventures. Mr. Rourk’s experience includes preparing and responding to cease and desist letters, preparing non-infringement and invalidity opinions, and assisting with patent infringement litigation in the software, semiconductor and telecom fields. Mr. Rourk is a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Florida and an inventor on several patents. He received his B.S.E.E., cum laude, from the University of Florida, his M.Eng. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst. and his J.D., cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center, where he was a member of Sigma Xi, a scientific research society and Tau Beta Pi, an engineering honor society.
