Heather E. Takahashi is a partner in the Los Angeles office of Munger, Tolles & Olson.
Heather has extensive experience in high-stakes complex civil litigation, focusing on patent infringement and technology-related disputes across industries, from pharmaceuticals to computer technology. She has represented clients in patent matters before the Federal Circuit and district courts nationwide, including in California, Delaware, Texas, and Virginia. A registered patent attorney, she also serves as counsel in post-grant proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board and advises on intellectual property strategy.
Heather earned her J.D. from Columbia Law School, where she served as executive essay and review editor of the Columbia Law Review. She joined the firm after clerking for the Honorable Richard J. Holwell of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Prior to law school, she earned a master’s degree in molecular biology from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Her past experience includes roles at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, the Center for Weight Regulation at Oregon Health & Science University, and a federal HIV/AIDS clinical trials database.
She is a member of the Federal Circuit Bar Association and the PTAB Bar Association, and she received with the 2015 Outstanding Young Lawyer of the Year Award from the Los Angeles chapter of the J. Reuben Clark Law Society.
Experience
- Intel in cross-border patent litigation involving programmable logic devices in the Western District of Texas and Tokyo District Court, and as lead counsel in IPR proceedings successfully obtaining institution on all claims.
- Google in obtaining dismissal and sanctions against a non-practicing entity in the Western District of Texas.
- Dell in a Western District of Texas case involving a portfolio of Wi-Fi 6 standard-essential patents.
- An international law firm in a legal malpractice case challenging the firm’s representation of a plaintiff in an unsuccessful patent infringement trial in the Eastern District of Texas in which the plaintiff sought more than $90 million in damages. The matter resolved favorably on the eve of trial.
- Google in settling claims of infringement related to Wi-Fi 5 standard technology in its Nest and Pixel products.
- Intel in securing dismissal of infringement claims in a broad litigation campaign targeting wireless networks, broadband providers and network equipment suppliers.
- Amgen in obtaining a favorable pre-trial settlement, including a mid-single-digit royalty, resolving a trade secrets dispute against Coherus BioSciences over Neulasta®.
- Google in defeating a patent infringement case in the Eastern District of Texas involving signal-processing patents.
- Google in securing a favorable settlement in a patent case in the Eastern District of Texas involving tap-and-pay technology.
- Google and YouTube in a Central District of California case involving five patents related to video compression technology and standards.
- Takeda Pharmaceuticals in:
- A favorable settlement of patent infringement litigation against three generic drug makers concerning Takeda’s gout medication Colcrys®.
- A judgment of patent infringement and validity against three generic companies seeking to market a generic version of Takeda’s acid reflux medication Dexilant®.
- AbbVie, formerly Abbott Laboratories, in:
- Its successful defense against litigation filed by Bayer Corp. in the District of Massachusetts alleging that Abbott’s largest product, Humira®, infringed its patents.
- Hatch-Waxman patent infringement and antitrust actions involving various pharmaceutical products.
- Boeing in its successful defense against $7 billion breach of contract, fraud, and tortious interference claims brought by ICO Global Communications Holdings related to the construction and launch of 12 satellites for a telecommunications network.
- Rambus in patent infringement actions relating to DRAM technology.
Education
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Columbia Law School (J.D., 2006); executive essay and review editor, Columbia Law Review; James Kent Scholar; Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar
-
The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (M.A., 1997)
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Brigham Young University (B.S., cum laude, 1991) Trustees Scholarship; Undergraduate Research Award
Clerkships
- Judge Richard J. Holwell, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
Bar Admissions
- California
- U.S. Patent & Trademark Office
Experience
- Intel in cross-border patent litigation involving programmable logic devices in the Western District of Texas and Tokyo District Court, and as lead counsel in IPR proceedings successfully obtaining institution on all claims.
- Google in obtaining dismissal and sanctions against a non-practicing entity in the Western District of Texas.
- Dell in a Western District of Texas case involving a portfolio of Wi-Fi 6 standard-essential patents.
- An international law firm in a legal malpractice case challenging the firm’s representation of a plaintiff in an unsuccessful patent infringement trial in the Eastern District of Texas in which the plaintiff sought more than $90 million in damages. The matter resolved favorably on the eve of trial.
- Google in settling claims of infringement related to Wi-Fi 5 standard technology in its Nest and Pixel products.
- Intel in securing dismissal of infringement claims in a broad litigation campaign targeting wireless networks, broadband providers and network equipment suppliers.
- Amgen in obtaining a favorable pre-trial settlement, including a mid-single-digit royalty, resolving a trade secrets dispute against Coherus BioSciences over Neulasta®.
- Google in defeating a patent infringement case in the Eastern District of Texas involving signal-processing patents.
- Google in securing a favorable settlement in a patent case in the Eastern District of Texas involving tap-and-pay technology.
- Google and YouTube in a Central District of California case involving five patents related to video compression technology and standards.
- Takeda Pharmaceuticals in:
- A favorable settlement of patent infringement litigation against three generic drug makers concerning Takeda’s gout medication Colcrys®.
- A judgment of patent infringement and validity against three generic companies seeking to market a generic version of Takeda’s acid reflux medication Dexilant®.
- AbbVie, formerly Abbott Laboratories, in:
- Its successful defense against litigation filed by Bayer Corp. in the District of Massachusetts alleging that Abbott’s largest product, Humira®, infringed its patents.
- Hatch-Waxman patent infringement and antitrust actions involving various pharmaceutical products.
- Boeing in its successful defense against $7 billion breach of contract, fraud, and tortious interference claims brought by ICO Global Communications Holdings related to the construction and launch of 12 satellites for a telecommunications network.
- Rambus in patent infringement actions relating to DRAM technology.
Industries
Education
-
Columbia Law School (J.D., 2006); executive essay and review editor, Columbia Law Review; James Kent Scholar; Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar
-
The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (M.A., 1997)
-
Brigham Young University (B.S., cum laude, 1991) Trustees Scholarship; Undergraduate Research Award
Clerkships
- Judge Richard J. Holwell, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
Bar Admissions
- California
- U.S. Patent & Trademark Office