Overview
Steve Seigel is a trial lawyer with a proven track record representing plaintiffs and defendants across an array of complex subject matters. His portfolio spans intellectual property and patent litigation, breach of contract, environmental torts, ERISA, consumer privacy, and other complex civil and commercial disputes.
Seigel’s work ethic, persuasive writing, comfort with technical subject matter, and clarity in oral advocacy have helped his clients secure tens of millions of dollars in settlements and jury verdicts.
Seigel has faced off industry titans including Apple, Samsung, Google, LG Electronics, Cisco, Ford Motor Company, Nissan, General Motors, Tesla, BMW, and Toyota. He has briefed, argued, and won appeals, case-dispositive motions, numerous claim construction battles, and critical discovery disputes. Seigel works hand-in-hand with expert and fact witnesses, and has taken and defended dozens of depositions, eliciting critical admissions from high-level executives and seasoned experts alike.
WINS
Seigel has secured several significant wins for his clients in Federal, State and Appellate courts, attracting media attention from outlets across the nation.
Seigel secured a favorable ruling on behalf of power systems manufacturer Vicor before the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) banning the importation of power modules and unlicensed computing systems found to infringe Vicor’s patents. Seigel drafted and argued essential motions on claim construction, infringement, and validity, and cross-examined numerous witnesses during the 5-day hearing before the ITC in April 2024. Read more.
For Ethanol Boosting Systems, the inventors of groundbreaking engine technology used in dual-injection engines, Seigel won an appeal at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in a patent infringement battle with Ford Motor Company. The Appeals Court reversed an unfavorable, case-dispositive claim construction and remanded the suit, allowing his clients infringement claims to proceed. Listen to Seigel’s oral argument at the Federal Circuit here and read more about the case in Law360, Reuters, and IPWatchDog.
In a high-profile royalties dispute, Seigel helped secure a $25+ million jury verdict for client, Steven Lamar, in a breach of contract action for unpaid royalties owed by Beats Electronics, Jimmy Iovine, and Dr. Dre, relating to Lamar’s role in creating Beats’ iconic headphones. The case later settled on confidential terms. It attracted national interest and was picked up by well-known media outlets such as the New York Times, The Guardian, Billboard, Bloomberg, Hollywood Reporter, NY Daily News, and the San Diego Union Tribune.
Background
Seigel joined Susman Godfrey after clerking on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
A graduate of Yale Law School, Seigel served as a submissions editor for the Yale Journal on Regulation and represented veterans as part of his work with Yale’s Veterans Legal Services Clinic. He received his undergraduate degree cum laude from Williams College.
Prior to law school, Seigel worked as an international development consultant, advising foreign ministries, and regional and local governments on anti-corruption, public administration, and rule of law reform in countries including Afghanistan, Sudan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and the Dominican Republic.
Notable Representations
- In the Matter of Certain Power Converter Modules and Computing Systems Containing the Same (ITC) Secured a favorable ruling on behalf of power systems manufacturer Vicor before the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) banning the importation of power modules and unlicensed computing systems found to infringe Vicor’s patents. Seigel drafted and argued essential motions on claim construction, infringement, and validity, and cross-examined numerous witnesses during the 5-day hearing before the ITC in April 2024. Read more.
- Ethanol Boosting Systems, LLC et al. v. Ford Motor Co. (D. Del.) Representing patent owners and inventors of groundbreaking engine technology in patent-infringement case against Ford Motor Company. Seigel secured an appellate claim victory at the Federal Circuit which, after an oral argument by Seigel, vacated a judgment of non-infringement against Ford Motor Co. on the basis of an erroneous claim construction. Read more in Law360, Reuters, and IPWatchDog.
- Ancora Technologies, Inc. v. LG Electronics and Samsung Electronics (W.D. Tex.) Represented patent owner and inventor in a patent infringement action relating to over-the-air update technology. Successfully briefed and argued claim construction issues and defeated case-dispositive motion for summary judgment. Both cases against LG and Samsung were settled on confidential terms on the eve of trial. Read more in Law360 (LG), Law360 (Samsung).
- Certain Power Converter Modules and Computing Systems Containing the Same (U.S. International Trade Commission) Representing complainant Vicor Corporation, a leading innovator in high-performance power technology, in ITC investigation against respondents Delta Electronics, Cyntec, Foxconn, and Quanta Computers. Seigel was responsible for key portions of the patent infringement claims and validity defenses. At the ITC hearing in April 2024, Seigel cross-examined numerous witnesses and handled oral argument on key evidentiary issues.
- Arigna Technology Limited v. Nissan Motor Co. et al. (E.D. Tex.) Represented Arigna Technology Ltd. in a patent infringement action against automakers and component manufacturers in cases concerning semiconductor technology used in automotive radar components and power inverters as well as automotive engine control units. Successfully defeated case-dispositive motions. Cases were settled on confidential terms on the eve of trial.
- IBM Corp. v. Zillow Group Inc. (W.D. Wa.) Representing real estate marketplace company Zillow in series of patent-infringement cases brought by IBM. After the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington’s judgment invalidated two of IBM’s patents under 35 U.S.C. § 101, Seigel secured an appellate victory when the Federal Circuit affirmed the district court judgment. Coverage provided by Bloomberg Law and Law360.
- NetFuel Inc. v. Cisco Systems, Inc. (N.D. Cal.) Represented the inventor and patent owner in a patent infringement action relating to routing and switching technologies. Successfully briefed and argued claim construction issues and defeated case-dispositive motion for summary judgment. Case settled on confidential terms before trial.
- Monarch Networking Solutions LLC v. Juniper Networks, Inc. (N.D. Cal) Representing patent owner in case against Juniper Networks, Inc. for infringing patents relating to packet-switched networks
- Jibe Audio LLC et al. v. Beats Electronics et al. (Cal. Super. Ct.) Secured a $25+ million jury verdict and $10 million in fees for client, Steven Lamar, in a breach of contract action for unpaid royalties owed by Beats Electronics, Jimmy Iovine, and Dr. Dre, relating to Mr. Lamar’s role in creating Beats’ iconic headphones. During trial, Seigel wrote and successfully argued issue-dispositive motions, motions to exclude witnesses, in limine motions, offers of proof, and other mid-trial motions on evidentiary issues, witness issues, jury instructions, and verdict forms. Seigel also successfully briefed and argued his client’s motion for attorneys’ fees, obtaining a win of nearly $10 million in attorneys’ fees in addition to the successful jury verdict. The case later settled on confidential terms. It attracted national interest and was picked up by well-known media outlets such as the New York Times, The Guardian, Billboard, Bloomberg, The Hollywood Reporter, NY Daily News, and the San Diego Union Tribune.
- Carey v. E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. and the Chemours Company FC, LLC. (E.D.N.C.) Representing a certified class of residents and property-holders suing DuPont and Chemours for contaminating their homes and drinking water supplies with per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS (known as “forever chemicals”). Seigel has successfully briefed and argued critical motions, including class certification, class appointment, motions to dismiss, and frequent discovery disputes. On November 17, 2023, Seigel succeeded before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, which unanimously rejected DuPont’s and Chemours’ petition to appeal the lower court’s October 4, 2023 order granting Plaintiffs’ motion for class certification, as reported by Bloomberg. The case has attracted national media attention and received write-ups in Law360, Reuters, WECT, the Triangle Business Journal, Law.com, and StarNews.
- DaVita Inc. v. St. Joseph’s/Candler Health Sys., Inc. (Ga. Super. Ct.) Defended a leading health system in Savannah, Georgia (St. Joseph’s / Candler Health Systems), in a breach of contract lawsuit brought by a dialysis company for alleged underpayments associated with dialysis treatments. Successfully briefed a motion to compel that secured an order granting discovery under a theory of relevance and contractual interpretation favorable to client’s case. The matter has been resolved.
- Netgear, Inc. v. Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (C.D. Cal.) Defending Huawei in action brought by Plaintiff asserting antitrust, RICO, and breach of FRAND claims
- Ethanol Boosting Systems, LLC et al. v. Ford Motor Co., No. 21-1949 (Fed. Cir. 2022): Won claim construction appeal at the Federal Circuit on behalf of Ethanol Boosting Systems, the inventors of groundbreaking engine technology whose patented inventions are allegedly being infringed by Ford Motor Company’s manufacture and sale of engines and fuel systems that combine direct and port injection. After an oral argument by Seigel, the CAFC vacated a judgment of non-infringement against Ford Motor Co., remanding the suit to District Court to review Ford’s engines in light of the patent’s claims as properly construed. Read more in Law360, Reuters, and IPWatchDog.
- IBM Corp. v. Zillow Group Inc., No. 22-1861 (Fed. Cir.): After an oral argument by Seigel, won appeal at the Federal Circuit for online real estate marketplace company, Zillow. The Federal Circuit’s decision affirmed the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington’s judgment invalidating two of IBM’s patents under 35 U.S.C. § 101. Coverage provided by Bloomberg Law and Law360.
- Carey v. E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. and the Chemours Company FC, LLC, No. 23-269 (4th Cir. 2023): Defeated interlocutory appeal of favorable class certification decision before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, which unanimously rejected DuPont’s and Chemours’ petition challenging U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina’s October 4, 2023 order granting Plaintiffs’ motion for class certification. Coverage provided by Bloomberg.
- Ancora Technologies, Inc. v. Roku, Inc. and Nintendo Co. Ltd., No. 23-1674 (Fed. Cir.): Representing appellant patent owner Ancora in appeal of inter partes review decision by Patent Trial and Appeal Board invalidating challenged claims (IPR was handled by a separate law firm.) Seigel argued the appeal in November 2024.
- Ethanol Boosting Systems, LLC et al. v. Ford Motor Co., No. 24-1381 (Fed. Cir.): Representing appellant patent owner EBS in appeal of inter partes review decision by Patent Trial and Appeal Board invalidating challenged claims. (IPR was handled by a separate law firm.)
- IBM Corp. v. Zillow Group Inc., No. 24-1170 (Fed. Cir.): Representing appellee and cross-appellant patent challenger in appeal of inter partes review decision by Patent Trial and Appeal Board partially invalidating challenged claims. (IPR was handled by a separate law firm).
Honors & Distinctions
Honors and Awards
- Rising Star, Washington Super Lawyers (2024)
- First Place, Public Contract Law Journal Writing Competition (2014)
Clerkships
- Honorable David S. Tatel, United States District Court for the District of Columbia
- Honorable James E. Boasberg, United States District Court for the District of Columbia
- Honorable Richard G. Taranto, United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
Education
Education
- Williams College (B.A., 2004)
- Yale Law School (J.D., 2014)
Admissions
Admissions
Bar Admissions
- Washington
- Maryland
Court Admissions
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
Publications
- War Claims & Private Security Contractors: The Strategic and Regulatory Benefits of Paying Host-Nation Claims Against U.S. Contractors, 43 Pub. Cont. L.J. 653 (2014)
- Community Benefits Agreements in a Union City, 46 Urb. Law. 419 (2014)
