Fish & Richardson Principal Juanita Brooks Inducted into Litigation Counsel of America

Fish & Richardson has announced that firm principal Juanita Brooks was inducted into the Litigation Counsel of America (LCA) as a fellow.

The LCA is a close-knit, peer-selected and aggressively diverse honorary society of 3,500 of the best trial lawyers in the country. Less than one-half of one percent of American lawyers, vigorously vetted for skills, expertise and service are invited to join this network of lawyers who effectively represent clients across North America and around the world.

Brooks was elected and invited into the fellowship after being evaluated for effectiveness and accomplishment in litigation and trial work, along with ethical reputation. The selection process included a combination of fellow input, internal research, nominations by fellows, attorney opinions, evaluation of client selection of counsel, limited input from active and retired judges and reviews of acknowledgement and recognition by other peer reviewing sources and associations.

Brooks is a leading trial and appellate litigator, who specializes in intellectual property, product liability and mass tort litigation. She is nationally known for her storytelling, hard-hitting cross-examinations and ability to decipher complex technologies for judges and juries.

Nicknamed "a titan of the patent bar," an "IP icon" and a "jury whisperer" Brooks has led more than 150 trials throughout her 40-year career. Brooks' courtroom success translates to billions of dollars in verdicts and savings to clients while paving the way for new patent laws to be established.

Often the only woman and minority in the courtroom, Brooks has spent her career dedicated to diversifying the legal profession. The first in her family to graduate from high school, Brooks graduated from San Diego State University at the age of 19 and Yale School of Law at the age of 22 before entering the legal arena.

Brooks was the first Hispanic woman to establish a private criminal defense practice in San Diego and has remained a frequent volunteer, speaker and advocate for women and minorities for decades. After more than 20 years in practice, Brooks joined Fish & Richardson in 2000, refocusing her practice on intellectual property and patent litigation. Today, both Fortune 100 corporations and start-ups turn to Brooks to protect and defend their groundbreaking technologies and pharmaceuticals.

She was recently inducted into the California State Bar Litigation Section's Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame for exemplifying the highest of values and professional achievement, as well as her accomplishments in both the courtroom and community. She was the first Latina honoree and only the third inductee from San Diego to receive the honor.

In 2014, Brooks was named "Litigator of the Year" by The American Lawyer. She has also been honored by numerous organizations including the National Law Journal, Managing Intellectual Property, Daily Journal, Best Lawyers in America, Law360, Benchmark Litigation and LMG Life Sciences North America.