Fish & Richardson IP litigator Juanita Brooks has been named an Icon of IP by Law360 for her role in shaping "today's intellectual property landscape." Brooks is among just 25 lawyers to be recognized as having iconic status. Other Icons of IP include Andrew Culbert, associate general counsel at Microsoft Corp.; Michelle Lee, USPTO director; and Paul Michel, former chief judge of the Federal Circuit.
According to Law360, "Becoming an icon does not happen overnight. It can take attorneys years of practicing law, building trust with clients and colleagues, and engaging the community. Icons also tend to go against the grain, ready to challenge the foundations underlying IP law or the traditions of how the law is practiced."
Brooks, who is known for her "skill at trying complicated patent cases without getting bogged down in the technical weeds," attained her "IP Icon" status after only 15 years as a patent litigator. Before joining Fish in 2000, she already had a significant trial practice, serving as lead counsel in about 100 big cases, many of them criminal defense. At Fish, Brooks has served as first chair on at least 60 patent cases, becoming what Law360 calls "a jury whisperer."
"Juanita is able to come to the table and effectively channel how a normal person may view a case, and she is able to distill complex technical issues into an understandable and persuasive story that will resonate with everyday jurors," said Ahmed Davis, a principal at Fish & Richardson who has worked with Brooks for years.
"She is someone who has all this knowledge and tricks of the trade on how to engage jurors and what to do in trial," said Jonathan Singer, a Fish & Richardson principal who has worked with Brooks for more than a decade. "Most great artists don’t like to share their secrets, but my favorite thing about Juanita is she is more than willing to do so."
In addition to her ability to persuade juries and judges, Law360 noted Brooks' penchant for "hard-hitting cross-examinations, particularly in her ability to outwit the other side’s experts into admitting evidence they don’t want or intend to admit." Law360 also highlighted that Brooks has tried several cases that "have made a lasting imprint on patent law itself."
At Fish, Brooks' national trial practice includes not only bet-the-company intellectual property litigation, but also complex product liability and qui tam litigation.