Michael Lennon is a Partner in our firm’s Litigation, Patent, Intellectual Property, and Technology and IP Transactions Practices, focusing on complex litigation, licensing and business transactions relating to intellectual property rights. Over his decades of practicing law, Mr. Lennon has represented and acted as an advisor to numerous multinational technology companies in industries ranging from medical devices to wind power systems. In transactional matters, Mr. Lennon acts as both legal counsel and as a strategic advisor to his clients, and he has negotiated numerous agreements relating to the acquisition, licensing and monetization of intellectual property. He has appeared as trial counsel in more than 125 patent infringement, trade secret, licensing dispute and patent-antitrust lawsuits in the United States federal district courts, the U.S. International Trade Commission and the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

He has represented and advised some of the world’s largest multinational corporations in the automotive technology, semiconductor, software, computer, electronics, and medical device industries: Aladdin Knowledge Systems, Ltd., General Electric Co., plc, Boston Scientific Corporation, Daimler AG, Hewlett Packard, Packard Bell, Intel Corp., Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC, Audi AG, Automobili Lamborghini S.P.A., Bentley Motors, Inc., Digital Equipment Corp., Siemens AG; MANN+HUMMEL GmbH, Marconi, plc, Robert Bosch Group, Volkswagen Group, Heidelberg Web Systems, Inc., Heidelberger AG, Goss International Americas, Inc., Vestas A/S, as well as startups and universities, venture capital and investment firms, and entertainment companies.

Mr. Lennon’s accomplishments and experience as a leading IP litigation and licensing attorney and strategic advisor have been recognized by Managing Intellectual Property (a New York “IP Star”), The US Legal 500 (a “leading lawyer,” “hugely experienced,” “first-rate trial lawyer,” and an elite "Leading Lawyer"), Chambers & Partners USA (“universally recommended as ‘a professional of high standing in the IP world’”), U.S. News and World Report - Best Lawyers in America®, IAM 250: The World’s Leading Patent & Technology Licensing Lawyers, and IAM Patent 1000: The World’s Leading Patent Practitioners, as well as IAM 300: The World’s Leading IP Strategists. 

Mr. Lennon is the author of many articles on the subject of intellectual property licensing and litigation and the development and implementation of IP strategies, and the treatise Drafting Technology Patent License Agreements published by Wolters Kluwer. He is a member of the American Intellectual Property Law Association and the Licensing Executives Society, among others.

Representative Experience

  • Aladdin Knowledge Systems: Defending patent infringement allegations brought by U.S. software publishers; negotiating favorable settlements of multiple litigations and portfolio licenses.
  • Volkswagen Group: Defending numerous U.S. district court and ITC patent infringement, licensing dispute and related business tort accusations asserted against VW’s VW, Audi, Bentley and other brands; related U.S. Patent and Trademark Office reexamination and inter partes review and appellate representation; negotiation of patent licenses and related counseling; infringement risk assessments; and related assertion and litigation defense strategic counseling and opinions.
  • Vestas A/S: Strategic counseling and infringement risk assessments and opinions; defending infringement and licensing dispute accusations; negotiation of licensing, technology transaction, joint venture, research and development agreements.
  • Mann+Hummel GmbH: Defending patent infringement litigation brought by U.S. manufacturing competitor; negotiating mediated settlement of litigation and highly favorable worldwide patent portfolio license.
  • Goss International Americas: Prosecuting multifaceted patent infringement enforcement and licensing litigation; defense of antitrust counterclaims; negotiation of highly favorable portfolio license and litigation settlement.
  • Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz USA: Defending numerous U.S. district court, licensing dispute and related business tort accusations against Daimler’s Mercedes Benz brand; related U.S. Patent and Trademark Office reexamination and appellate representation; negotiation of patent licenses and related intellectual property agreements and counseling; infringement risk assessments; and related assertion and litigation defense strategic counseling and opinions.
  • Robert Bosh Group: Prosecuting patent infringement enforcement and licensing litigations; defending numerous U.S. district court infringement, licensing dispute, and related business tort accusations; related U.S. Patent and Trademark Office reexamination and appellate representation; negotiation of patent licenses and related counseling; infringement risk assessments; and related assertion and litigation defense strategic counseling and opinions.
  • General Electric Co., plc: M&A IP due diligence, negotiation of intellectual property transaction provisions; prosecuting and defending Marconi, plc and other corporate subsidiary infringement litigation; related counseling, infringement risk assessments, and opinions.
  • Power Medical Interventions, Inc. (U.S. Surgical subsidiary): Defending multiple U.S. and European patent infringement litigations brought by major U.S. medical device manufacturer; negotiating favorable settlements of the litigations and portfolio licenses; negotiation of patent and technology licenses, related strategic counseling and infringement risk assessments and opinions.

Honors & Awards

  • Super Lawyers, since 2015
  • Listed as an elite Leading Lawyer and Hall of Fame member, Patents: Licensing (2017, 2019) in the United States, The US Legal 500
  • Profiled as one of the leading Patents Prosecution (2017), Patent Licensing and Transactional (2013-2015), Patent Litigation (2016, 2018) and Patent Portfolio Management and Licensing (2016, 2018) lawyers in the United States, The US Legal 500
  • Named a “WIPR Leader” (2017, 2018), World IP Review
  • Profiled as one of the leading Intellectual Property: Patent (2018) Lawyers in the United States, Chambers & Partners USA: America's Leading Business Lawyers
  • Profiled as one of the leading Intellectual Property: Patent (2012-2017) lawyers in New York, Chambers & Partners USA: America's Leading Business Lawyers
  • Named “One of the World's Leading Patent Practitioners” for Patent Litigation and Patent Transactions in New York, Intellectual Asset Management magazine's IAM Patent 1000: The World's Leading Patent Practitioners (2013, 2014, 2016–2019)
  • Recognized as a New York Super Lawyer in Intellectual Property, Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters (published in Metro Magazine) (2015-2019)
  • Listed in IAM Strategy 300 for his work in the “Legal,” “Licensing,” and “Technology Transfer” practice areas (2014, 2018)
  • Ranked in Intellectual Asset Management magazine's IAM Licensing 250: The World’s Leading Patent and Technology Licensing Practitioners (2011)
  • Named a “Patent Star” in New York (2013, 2014, 2016-2019) and a “Patent Star” in Delaware (2018) in the IP Stars Handbook published by Managing Intellectual Property
  • The Best Lawyers in America, Litigation – Intellectual Property (2013-2020).  
  • Ranked by Docket Navigator Analytics and Patexia IPR Intelligence Report as one of the top 50 U.S. attorneys in USPTO inter partes review
  • Martindale Hubbell AV Preeminent™ Rated

Publications and Speeches

Munich Patente Conference

  • Speaker, US ITC Proceedings As An Alternative To District Court Infringement Lawsuits (2019)
  • Speaker, S. Patent Law Reform—Issues, Conflicts and the Current Legal Climate (2009)

London Intellectual Property Summit

  • Chair, Is The Commercial Value Of A Patent Related To Whether It Could Be Successfully Enforced In Court Proceedings? (2015)
  • Speaker, IP Enforcement-Challenges And Trends (2014)

IAM Intellectual Property Business Conference

  • Speaker, Validity is King (2015)
  • Moderator, NPEs Under Attack (2014)
  • Moderator, Chief IP Officer Master Class (2013)
  • Speaker, The New US Patent Landscape: Judicial Trends Affecting Licensing And Litigation Strategies (2012)
  • Speaker, The Developing NPE Market, Changes In the Legal Environment and Its Effect on NPEs/Privateers (2011)
  • Speaker, Getting to grips with NPEs—The latest U.S. developments

IAM New York NPE Conference

  • Speaker, The Business of Responsible Licensing: Licensing Negotiations (2016)
  • Moderator, The NPE Operating Climate (2015)

Paris, France Licensing Executive Society Seminar

  • Speaker, FRAND, Towards New Rules? How The IP World Is Impacted” (2015)

Pan-European Intellectual Property Summit

  • Chair, Will the EU Become New Haven for NPEs? (2013)
  • Moderator, Patent Strategies: The New Roles of Patent Assertion Entities/NPEs (2012)
  • Moderator, Litigation In Europe - Getting The Most From Damage Awards (2008)
  • Speaker, The NTP v. Research in Motion Litigation, Its Aftermath, And Patent Reform (2006)

Paris 6th Int’l Conference on Intellectual Property

  • Moderator, Litigation in the Intangibles Economy (2008)

Vienna ASTP Conference

  • Speaker, The Value Of Patent Rights In U.S. Infringement Litigation (2013)

CNNP Paris Conference on Intellectual Property

  • Moderator, Growth Through Innovation: U.S. Patent Reform (2012)

Brussels Intellectual Property Week and Patent Fair

  • Moderator, Reaping the Full Industrial Potential of Innovation Capacities, IP Strategies (2011)

AIPPI World Intellectual Property Congress

  • Moderator, Trends In United States And European Patent Disputes, Antitrust Issues, Licensing And Enforcement Of Patent Rights – The U.S. Perspective (2008)

London Int’l Patent Litigation Conference

  • Speaker, Effective Use of ADR to Resolve Business Disputes in the UK and USA (2005)

Munich LES International Conference

  • Speaker, S. Antitrust Law And International Patent Licensing (2005)

Wolters Kluwer

  • Author, Drafting Technology Patent License Agreements
  • Author, Technology Transfer Guide
  • Author, Drafting License Agreements

Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts

  • Author, Guide to Copyright for the Performing Arts: Playwrights, Choreographers, Composers, Lyricists
  • Author, Guide to Copyright for Musicians and Composers
  • Author, Guide To Copyright For Visual Artists

Intellectual Asset Management Magazine

  • Author, Patent Battles Without Frontiers – U.S. Patent Litigation (2012)
  • Author, Changes in the US Legal Environment and its Effect on Licensing (2011)
  • Author, US Litigation Trends and Their Impact on Licensing Strategies (2010)
  • Author, The Role of the Expert Witness in Calculating Damages (2010)
  • Author, The Growing Global Impact of the US Patent Exhaustion Doctrine (2009)
  • Author, Managing Punitive Damages Risks In Licensing Transactions (2008)
  • Author, Antitrust Issues, Licensing and Enforcement of US Patent Rights (2007)
  • Author, Patent Alternate Dispute Resolution Issues and Choices in the US (2008)

Civic Involvement

  • Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (New York), Director, Executive and Legal Services Committees Member, and Treasurer, Volunteer Lawyer
  • Starfish TheatreWorks, Advisory Board Member

Memberships and Affiliations

  • American Intellectual Property Law Association
  • Licensing Executives Society
  • International Advisory Board, Journal of Computer Law & Practice
  • Editorial Advisory Board, Journal of Communications Law
  • Chair, Subcommittee on Patent Protection for Multimedia Works, Committee on New Information Technologies, ABA Section on Intellectual Property Law
  • Chair, Subcommittee on Software Protection, Committee on Computer Law, Bar Association of the City of New York

News, Events & Insights

Education

Fordham University School of Law, J.D.

Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, B.S.

Previous Experience

  • Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP (formerly Andrews Kurth Kenyon LLP), Partner
  • Kenyon & Kenyon LLP, Partner

Admissions

  • New York
  • U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas

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