Michael J. Sacksteder

415-875-2450
msacksteder@fenwick.com
Partner
Litigation

Michael J.
Sacksteder

Michael J.
Sacksteder

Michael J.
Sacksteder

Partner
Litigation

Michael has led patent litigation teams for high-profile clients such as Intuit, Symantec, Supercell and Silver Peak Systems. He has successfully served as trial counsel in some of the most active patent litigation courts around the country, including the Eastern District of Texas, the District of Delaware and the Northern District of California, and he has successfully argued before the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

In addition to his work in district courts and the Federal Circuit, Michael has substantial experience with post-grant proceedings, such as inter partes review proceedings (“IPRs”) before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Clients have relied on him in litigation matters in a wide variety of technological fields, including computer hardware, software, networking, and security, semiconductors and semiconductor processing, polymer chemistry, pharmaceuticals and medical devices.

Prior to law school, Michael worked as a broadcast journalist.

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  • Representing Supercell Oy, maker of the popular mobile game “Clash of Clans” in two separate patent infringement suits in the District of Delaware. In both cases, Michael successfully brought motions to dismiss for failure to claim patent-eligible subject matter, securing an early and efficient resolution of each lawsuit. In the second of these cases, Michael also represented, and obtained the same result for, mobile game makers Rovio, ngmoco and Glu Mobile.
  • Winning a jury verdict in favor of Silver Peak Systems against competitor Riverbed Technology in the District of Delaware. Riverbed initiated the suit and ultimately alleged infringement of five Riverbed patents. After two of those patents were found invalid through an inter partes reexamination, Riverbed’s claims were stayed, and the case went to trial on two patents asserted by Silver Peak. The jury found that both Silver Peak patents were infringed, and sustained the validity of the one Silver Peak patent that had been challenged on that basis.
  • Obtaining transfer of a multi-defendant patent lawsuit from the Eastern District of Texas to the Northern District of California. The ruling allowed more than a dozen defendants to fight the lawsuit—brought by a non-practicing entity—in their home forum. Michael settled the matter favorably for his clients shortly after transfer.
  • Winning a rare favorable defense damages verdict in the Eastern District of Texas. After initially announcing itself deadlocked on infringement and invalidity, the jury returned a verdict awarding less than 2% of the damages sought by the plaintiff, a notorious patent “troll.”

  • Representing Supercell Oy, maker of the popular mobile game “Clash of Clans” in two separate patent infringement suits in the District of Delaware. In both cases, Michael successfully brought motions to dismiss for failure to claim patent-eligible subject matter, securing an early and efficient resolution of each lawsuit. In the second of these cases, Michael also represented, and obtained the same result for, mobile game makers Rovio, ngmoco and Glu Mobile.
  • Winning a jury verdict in favor of Silver Peak Systems against competitor Riverbed Technology in the District of Delaware. Riverbed initiated the suit and ultimately alleged infringement of five Riverbed patents. After two of those patents were found invalid through an inter partes reexamination, Riverbed’s claims were stayed, and the case went to trial on two patents asserted by Silver Peak. The jury found that both Silver Peak patents were infringed, and sustained the validity of the one Silver Peak patent that had been challenged on that basis.
  • Obtaining transfer of a multi-defendant patent lawsuit from the Eastern District of Texas to the Northern District of California. The ruling allowed more than a dozen defendants to fight the lawsuit—brought by a non-practicing entity—in their home forum. Michael settled the matter favorably for his clients shortly after transfer.
  • Winning a rare favorable defense damages verdict in the Eastern District of Texas. After initially announcing itself deadlocked on infringement and invalidity, the jury returned a verdict awarding less than 2% of the damages sought by the plaintiff, a notorious patent “troll.”

  • Blue Jeans Network
  • CNEX Labs
  • Imperva
  • Intuit
  • Invuity
  • King Digital Entertainment
  • Moses Lake Industries
  • OSIsoft
  • Razer
  • Silver Peak Systems
  • Supercell Oy
  • Symantec

  • Blue Jeans Network
  • CNEX Labs
  • Imperva
  • Intuit
  • Invuity
  • King Digital Entertainment
  • Moses Lake Industries
  • OSIsoft
  • Razer
  • Silver Peak Systems
  • Supercell Oy
  • Symantec

Recognition Recognition Recognition

Recognition Recognition Recognition

Recognition
Patexia

2022

Recognized among the top 50 most active patent litigators for defendants in the U.S.

IAM Patent 1000

2016 - 2024

Named among California’s leading patent litigators.

U.S. News - Best Lawyers

2019 - 2021

Honored among the best lawyers in America for patent litigation.

The Legal 500

2019 - 2022

Recognized for patent litigation.

  • Super Lawyers, recognized as a top-rated intellectual property litigation attorney in California (2010 – 2022)

Recognition
Patexia

2022

Recognized among the top 50 most active patent litigators for defendants in the U.S.

IAM Patent 1000

2016 - 2024

Named among California’s leading patent litigators.

U.S. News - Best Lawyers

2019 - 2021

Honored among the best lawyers in America for patent litigation.

The Legal 500

2019 - 2022

Recognized for patent litigation.