O’Melveny Worldwide

Get to Know Rob

Get to Know Rob

  • Lead counsel for a Taiwanese biotechnology and chemical manufacturing company in two confidential arbitrations relating to exclusive licenses and patent assignments for patents directed to treating a rare genetic disorder that is often fatal if untreated; secured a US$180 million settlement
  • Lead counsel for a molecular pharmaceutical research and development biotechnology company in an ITC action involving recombinant protein product; secured a favorable finding of no infringement (subject to appeal)
  • Lead counsel for a pharmaceutical company in litigation in the District of New Jersey involving patents covering the use of iron carbohydrate complexes for the treatment of iron deficiency diseases; the case resulted in a favorable settlement following a successful related post-grant review proceeding
  • Co-lead counsel for two branded pharmaceutical companies in two Hatch-Waxman Act cases against generic companies regarding their attempts to obtain FDA approval for their respective ANDAs directed to generic copies of a drug used to treat iron deficiency anemia; after a six-day bench trial, the cases resulted in a favorable settlement with a generic entry date well past the expiration of the composition patents
  • Trial counsel for a leading medical device company in multiple district actions against direct competitors resulting in an eight-figure damages award and subsequent settlement
  • Trial counsel representing an international pharmaceutical company ANDA litigation against multiple generic challengers involving diabetes treatments; patent was held infringed and not invalid in the district court and further upheld in a parallel inter partes review (IPR) proceeding
  • Lead counsel for a leading pharmaceutical company in an ITC investigation involving methods of manufacturing a cancer treatment drug; matter resolved through world-wide confidential settlement

Admissions

Bar Admissions

  • District of Columbia
  • Virginia

Court Admissions

  • US Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
  • Supreme Court of the United States

Education

  • George Mason University, J.D.: magna cum laude
  • Virginia Commonwealth University, M.S.: Physiology/Biophysics
  • Georgetown University, B.A., History

Honors & Awards

  • Recommended by The Legal 500 US for Healthcare: Life Sciences; Patents: Litigation (Full Coverage) (2026); and Trade Secrets (Litigation & Non-Contentious Matters) (2022, 2024)
  • Recognized by IAM Patent 1000 as a Leading Patent Litigator (2022)

Professional Activities

Memberships

  • District of Columbia Bar (Intellectual Property Section), Chair of Trade Secrets Section, 2004-2007; Steering Committee, 2007-2010
  • American Intellectual Property Law Association
  • American Bar Association
  • Virginia State Bar (Intellectual Property Section)
  • Intellectual Property Owners Association
  • Federal Circuit Bar Association

Author

  • “Section 101 Decisions Clarify 'Clear And Convincing Evidence,” Law360 (March 13, 2018)

Speaker

  • “US Antitrust and Intellectual Property Law: Current Issues & Trends,” Fronteo Webinar (October 4, 2023)
  • “Keep it Secret, Keep it Safe: Leveraging Trade Secrets to Complement IP Protection and Enforcement Strategies,” BIO IP Counsel’s Committee Conference (Nov. 14, 2022)
  • “Maximizing and Leveraging IP in the Life Sciences,” Webinar (Nov. 10, 2022)
  • “Protecting and Managing Trade Secrets in the Medical Device Industry,” MDMA Member-Only Webinar (Oct. 5, 2022)
  • “Section 101 Patent Eligibility: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly,” BIO IP Counsel’s Committee Conference (Nov. 18-19, 2019)
  • “Patent Strategies for Drug-Device Combination Products,” Medical Device Manufacturers Association (MDMA) Patent Law Roundtable (Nov. 12, 2019)
  • Paragraph IV Disputes Master Symposium, American Conference Institute (Chicago, Illinois, Oct. 1-3, 2018)