Archives: Team Members

Alexandra is an experienced trial and appellate lawyer representing clients in all areas of IP litigation, as both plaintiffs and defendants. She has litigated cases in a wide variety of technology areas, including antenna design, semiconductor manufacturing, network hardware, pharmaceuticals, biofuels, and consumer medical electronics. Above all, Alexandra helps clients design intellectual property strategies that further their business goals, such as maximizing the value of intellectual property holdings or preparing to engage with encroaching competitors. Her most recent matters span the U.S., Asia, Europe, and Australia, with a focus on helping international clients navigate the US legal system to enforce intellectual property rights.

EDUCATION

• University of California, Berkeley, B.A., Cognitive Science, 2001
• University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, J.D., 2008, Editorial Board, Journal of Constitutional Law

BAR ADMISSIONS

• California
• New York

COURT ADMISSIONS

• United States District Court for the Northern District of California
• United States District Court for the Central District of California
• United States District Court for the Southern District of California
• United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
• Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

Tim has spent more than a decade representing clients both as plaintiff and defendant in patent disputes in venues ranging from United States District Courts to the International Trade Commission.  Tim has brought his legal and technical expertise to bear on disputes involving a wide variety of technical fields such as essential wireless telecommunications standards, computer central processing unit substrates, computer networking, computer graphics processing, computer database searching and management, capacitive touch sensors, aesthetic treatment machines, and oil and gas extraction.

Tim’s approach to practice has often been described as a “relentless” pursuit of the client’s objectives at all stages of a patent dispute. Tim also prides himself in mastering and curating the factual and legal record of a case in order to tell a compelling story at trial while at the same time keeping a careful watch on the client’s business priorities throughout the process.

Pro Bono is also a vital part of Tim’s practice, including assisting more than a dozen victims of domestic violence in obtaining protective orders.  Tim has also served as counsel to the National Homelessness Law Center and as co-counsel with the ACLU of Texas to challenge several Texas ordinances criminalizing homelessness. Finally, Tim has had the privilege of representing disabled veterans in conjunction with the National Veterans Legal Services Program in benefits proceedings before the Boards of Veterans’ Appeals and the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.

 Education

• University of Florida, B.S., Electrical Engineering, 2007, cum laude, Eta Kappa Nu Electrical and Computer Engineering Honor Society
• University of Georgia School of Law, J.D., 2010, cum laude; Editorial Board, Journal of Intellectual Property Law

Bar Admissions

• Texas
• Georgia

Court Admissions

• United States District Court for the Western District of Texas
• United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
• United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
• United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
• United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
• Supreme Court of the State of Georgia
• Court of Appeals of the State of Georgia
• Superior Court of Fulton County, Georgia
• Admitted to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

Memberships

• The Honorable Lee Yeakel Intellectual Property American Inn of Court, Barrister Member
• The Austin Intellectual Property Law Association, Member

Over his decade-plus legal career, which has spanned both Austin, Texas, and New York City, Joe Abraham has represented technology, financial, real estate, medical device, and pharmaceutical companies in patent and commercial litigation, as both plaintiffs and defendants. In the litigation arena, Joe’s experience spans matters of varying stakes, including all aspects of trial and appellate practice in federal and state courts across the United States, and before domestic and international arbitral tribunals.

Across all these types of matters, certain patterns reoccur: The party that can tell the most compelling story will, all else being equal, come out on top. But how can a litigant be sure to be in position to tell that story? Simply put: By being sufficiently on top of the details to keep adversaries’ distractions at bay, while at the same time not losing sight of the big picture. This also minimizes so-called “wasted efforts,” and keeps the focus on the central themes of the case. Joe takes pride in following this approach for every case he handles.

Joe also believes in the importance of maintaining an active pro bono practice. Over the years this has included service as counsel to the National Homelessness Law Center and as co-counsel with the ACLU of Texas to challenge several Texas ordinances criminalizing homelessness. Joe has also represented disabled veterans, in conjunction with the National Veterans Legal Services Program, in benefits proceedings before the Boards of Veterans’ Appeals and the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. Joe also previously served pro bono as Assistant Counsel to the New York State Commission on Judicial Nomination.

Joe is a Defender-level member of the Champion of Justice Society and a past member of the Texas State Bar’s Pro Bono College.  Joe is also a recipient of Dechert LLP’s Samuel E. Klein Pro Bono Award, and a two-time recipient of The Legal Aid Society’s Pro Bono Publico Award.

Joe formerly co-authored the Western District of Texas Patent Blog.

Education

• Rice University, B.A., Physics, 1999, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa
• New York University School of Law, J.D., 2007, cum laude; Robert McKay Scholar; Jack J. Katz Memorial Award; Executive Editor, Journal of Legislation and Public Policy

Bar Admissions

• Texas
• New York

Court Admissions 

• United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
• United States District Court for the Western District of Texas
• United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
• United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
• United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
• United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
• United States District Court for the Southern District of New York

Memberships

• The Honorable Lee Yeakel Intellectual Property American Inn of Court, Barrister Member

Moses is a registered patent attorney and an associate attorney at Folio Law Group. Prior to switching over to litigation, Moses gained over six years of experience in patent prosecution as a patent agent. As a patent agent, Moses represented clients large and small, from early-stage startups to F100 technology giants. Moses has written and/or prosecuted over 200 patents to allowance in technology spaces such as mobile and web applications, virtual reality, head-mounted displays, machine learning, console, and mobile gaming software and hardware, video transmission, computer networking, database technology, drones, blockchain, and semiconductor fabrication.

Moses graduated cum laude and Order of the Coif from Santa Clara University School of Law. During law school, Moses externed for the Honorable Susan Illston of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, where he gained exposure to various stages of patent litigation. Prior to entering the field of law, Moses enjoyed a career as a molecular biology and biochemistry researcher during which he authored several research papers in Molecular Pharmacology and The Journal of Biological Chemistry.

ADMISSIONS

• U.S. District Court – Northern District of California

EDUCATION

• B.A. Biology – Cornell University
• J.D., cum laude – Santa Clara University School of Law.

As a patent litigator, Sam has represented Fortune 100 companies in sophisticated intellectual property litigation matters in front of federal courts and the International Trade Commission (ITC). He leverages his previous experience as a software developer where he managed and implemented complex web-based projects, including the .com sites for major financial services and telecommunications companies.

Prior to joining Folio, Sam co-founded and developed De Novo IP, a platform for the automated mining and evaluation of patent portfolios.  He has over seven years of patent litigation experience from practicing with the Tensegrity Law Group LLP, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, and Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP.  Before law school, Sam worked for six years as a technology consultant at Sapient Corporation (acquired by Publicis).

REPRESENTATIVE CASES

Counseled solo inventor in establishing a patent-holding company for monetizing a portfolio (discovered by De Novo IP mining tools) against a multinational conglomerate. Lined up key stakeholders and funding. Directed and implemented chief litigation strategies.

Assessed the portfolios of patent-holding and licensing companies for the monetization of intellectual properties. Collaborated with stakeholders to develop and implement all recommended litigation strategies, including by presenting infringement, validity, and damages analyses for potential patent acquisitions.  Assisted in securing multi-million dollar settlements for several clients.

Established one of the first USA victories in the ITC for a large multinational technology company against an infringing incumbent.  Specifically requested by head of IP department to return to second chair for the examination of key fact and technical witnesses.

EDUCATION

• J.D. – University of Michigan
• B.S. Computer Science – Duke University

ADMISSIONS

• Member of the California State Bar

Andre joined Folio in 2021, bringing almost a decade’s worth of combined IP prosecution and litigation experience, spanning practice areas from Hatch-Waxman to trademarks. At Folio, he uses his breadth of procedural knowledge and organizational skills to support the firm and help drive favorable case outcomes. He has previously worked on teams catering to clients from international organizations to local restauranteurs.

Prior to joining Folio, Andre held various roles at BakerHostetler,  Knobbe Martens, and Intellectual Ventures. In his spare time he enjoys mountaineering in the North Cascades, ice climbing around the country, and the symphony.

Palani has deep experience evaluating patent portfolios as a precursor to litigation. He is called to find the cornerstone patents in a portfolio that will lead to maximized returns and then generate a strategy to enforce the portfolio. He leverages his technical background to reverse engineer complex technologies giving his clients more certainty earlier in an enforcement campaign.

Palani has a BS in electrical engineering from the University of Florida and a JD from the Georgetown University Law Center. He was a patent examiner at the United States Patent and Trademark Office and an engineer with Lockheed Martin. He is a member of Tau Beta Pi Honors Society and a graduate of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.

Before joining Folio, Palani co-founded and coded De Novo IP, a patent software startup that helped clients monetize patent portfolios. He practiced patent litigation for over 5 years at Tensegrity Law Group LLP and Alston & Bird LLP. Palani enjoys snowboarding.

Admissions:

Member of the California State Bar
Member of the United States Patent Bar
Admitted to the United States District Courts for the Northern District of California
Admitted to the United States District Courts for the Eastern District of Texas

Finding his niche at the intersection of science and the law, Cliff has represented clients in complex disputes covering a wide range of technologies including cellular and WiFi communications, VoIP telephony, semiconductor manufacturing and design, image sensors, and computer networking and security. He has handled patent cases through all phases of litigation including jury trials and appeals in numerous courts nationwide as well as in foreign jurisdictions. Cliff also has significant experience in counseling his clients on patent licensing and due diligence matters.

Cliff regularly advises business leaders and other non-legal professionals to meet their business goals with a well-rounded IP strategy. Between his previous work as an engineer and his more recent experience as in-house and outside counsel, Cliff brings a broad and unique perspective to his practice.

Prior to joining Folio Law Group, Cliff held various senior director roles in patent enforcement and litigation at technology companies. Before that, he spent much of his career as an attorney in private practice at both global and boutique law firms in the Silicon Valley. Cliff also enjoyed an engineering career for eight years at a leading semiconductor corporation where he was involved in research and development of chipsets for medical imaging and consumer video electronics.

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

Cliff served as counsel representing a small venture-funded computer security software company in a series of complex patent suits against its market competitors.

Cliff represented a large multi-national semiconductor company in various IP licensing and litigation disputes with its competitors and customers.

Cliff was a member of the trial team in a patent suit with a major smartphone manufacturer involving a patent licensing dispute relating to wireless cellular standards.

Cliff served as counsel representing a leading designer and manufacturer of high-precision camera systems in litigation against multiple defendants in the image sensor industry.

Cliff represented a developer and manufacturer of public safety communications equipment in patent litigation against its competitors involving VoIP telephony.

ADMISSIONS

• Member of the California State Bar
• Admitted to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
• Admitted to the United States District Court for the Northern District of California
• Admitted to the United States District Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Texas

EDUCATION

• B.S. Electrical Engineering – University of California, Davis
• J.D. – Santa Clara University School of Law

Cris has more than twenty-five years of experience. His practice focuses on patent litigation, intellectual property monetization, and the protection of core corporate assets for technology-driven companies and inventors.

Cris has managed and litigated more than 100 matters across a wide range of industries, including patent, trademark, copyright, and complex business litigation. He represents clients in federal district courts nationwide and has significant experience before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board, the International Trade Commission, and the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Fifth and Federal Circuits. He is known for developing practical, business-focused litigation strategies and for guiding matters efficiently from pre-suit investigation through trial and appeal.

Having served as both outside counsel and in-house counsel, Cris brings a client-centric perspective to legal and strategic decision-making. He previously held senior roles at leading international law firms, including Dorsey & Whitney LLP and K&L Gates LLP, and served as Director of Intellectual Property Litigation at Intellectual Ventures Management, LLC. This combination of law-firm and in-house experience enables him to align legal outcomes with broader business objectives.

Cris earned his B.S., cum laude, from Washington State University and his J.D. from Seattle University School of Law. He is actively involved in pro bono work and community service.

Representative Cases:

Cris served as lead trial counsel defending an innovative startup in a bet the company patent litigation brought by the dominant incumbent. After three years of litigation and a three-week trial, Cris and his team secured a multi-million dollar jury verdict on counterclaims brought by their client.

Cris was lead counsel representing a large publicly traded corporation in defense of a copyright complaint alleging infringement of thousands of photographs. Following multiple rounds of briefing, the case was dismissed on summary judgment.

Cris represented an international startup in high stakes patent litigation filed against its chief rival in a nascent telecommunications market. Following summary judgement briefing, Cris negotiated a favorable settlement involving a payment to his client for past damages and ongoing royalties.

Cris represented a multinational publicly traded corporation in defense of several copyright allegations. Following several motions to dismiss filed on behalf of our client, the case was dismissed with prejudice by the plaintiff. Our client paid nothing.

Cris represented the owner of several families of patented technologies in international licensing efforts. Cris and his team successfully negotiated and executed numerous licenses and cross-licenses without the need for litigation.

Admissions:

• Member of the California State Bar
• Member of the Washington State Bar
• Admitted to the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Central, Southern, and Eastern Districts of California
• Admitted to the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Washington
• Admitted to the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Texas
• Admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
• Admitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
• Admitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

Helping his clients navigate difficult transactions and intellectual property issues, Mike litigates and advises on a broad range of topics including contracts, copyrights, trademarks, patents, product liability, compliance and marketing. He has represented large and small clients across a variety of software and life science technologies, including web and Internet technologies, ecommerce, database systems, digital health wearables, gene editing, stem cell therapies, protein engineering, molecular diagnostics, and small molecule therapeutics. Mike provides business-focused counsel informed by a history of entrepreneurship and in-house legal experience advising on product strategy, protecting intellectual property, managing litigation, and developing corporate policies. He is also a registered patent attorney with the United States Patent Office.

Prior to founding Folio Law Group, Mike was a litigation and licensing attorney at Fenwick & West, in-house counsel for Redfin, and a founder of two biotechnology companies. Mike also served as judicial clerk to Judges Maxine Chesney and Susan Illston of the Northern District of California. He has a B.S. degree in Biology from Bucknell University and a J.D. degree from Tulane University School of Law where he graduated magna cum laude and Order of the Coif.

Representative Cases:

Mike served as trial counsel representing an innovative life sciences company in complex patent litigation against its primary market competitor. After two years of litigation and a two-week trial, Mike and his team secured a $18M dollar jury verdict.

Mike was counsel representing a small venture-funded technology company in defense of a patent complaint brought by a large multinational corporation. Following an investigation into the history of the technology and disclosures showing the patents to be invalid, the large plaintiff dismissed its case and walked away, requiring our client to pay nothing.

Mike represented a small venture-funded corporation in patent litigation filed by a patent assertion entity. On the strength of non-infringement theories developed early in the case we won on summary judgment and successfully lobbied the court to require the patent plaintiff to pay our client’s legal fees.

Admissions:

• Licensed patent attorney with the United States Patent and Trademark Office
• Member of the California State Bar
• Member of the Washington State Bar
• Admitted to the United States District Courts for the Northern, Central, Southern, and Eastern Districts of California
• Admitted to the United States District Courts for the Eastern District of Texas
• Admitted to the United States District Courts for the Western District of Washington