Tigran is Co-Chair of the Firm’s National Intellectual Property Litigation Practice and specializes in patent infringement litigation, representing both plaintiffs and defendants. He has been lead or co-lead counsel in some of the most complex technology cases venued across the country, including in the U.S. District Courts, the U.S. International Trade Commission, as well as in the US PTO’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from Cal Poly Pomona and worked at Rockwell International’s famed North American Aviation division (now, Boeing), on projects involving aircraft weapons systems, military strategy and warfare simulation, the YAL-1 Airborne Laser, and conversion of the Air Force’s supersonic B-1B Lancer from a nuclear to a conventional bomber, all under various levels of DOD security clearance. As a team leader of the Cal Poly Solar Energy Team, he designed and built the award-winning and pole-position qualifying Intrepid Too solar-electric vehicle, gaining considerable hands-on experience with electric-vehicle systems, solar arrays, as well as the manufacturing of composite structures that utilize carbon-fiber, Kevlar, and fiberglass using autoclave processes. Tigran applies his technical training and his engineering, practical, and hands-on experience to every patent litigation matter, which have involved a wide range of technologies, including, trusted computing and digital rights management; ink jet cartridges and printers; piezo-electric printer heads; printer interfaces; biomedical devices; viral vaccines and delivery systems; on-line transfer of music and video; satellite solar arrays and systems; jet engine propulsion systems; automotive air bag systems; diamond-like carbon films; surface emitting lasers; high bandwidth fiberoptic cables, transceivers and connectors; free ink writing instruments; CD and DVD duplication; therapeutic bath and spa technology; sports and athletic equipment; snack food designs; large-scale earth moving machinery, including bucket and teeth technology; and telecommunications infrastructure technology; among others. Since 2008, Tigran has been recognized as a leader, “Rising Star,” and among “Best Lawyers” in intellectual property litigation. In 2022, he was recognized by Legal 500 USA in Patent Litigation.
- Intertrust Technologies Corporation
- Seiko Epson Corporation
- Epson America, Inc.
- Epson Portland Inc.
- Channell Commercial Corporation
- Ansun Biopharma, Inc. (previously NexBio)
- California Institute of Technology
- DaKine Hawaii
- Delphi Automotive
- Buffalo
- Napster
- Balboa Instruments
- TRW
- GE Aviation
- Avery Dennison
- Technicolor
- Representing Seiko Epson Corporation, Epson America, Inc. and Epson Portland Inc. ("Epson") as complainants in a second action in the International Trade Commission (“ITC") asserting five patents covering ink jet cartridge technology against nineteen respondents and seeking the issuance of a General Exclusion Order ("GEO") and Cease-And-Desist Orders.
- Represented Epson as complainants in one of the largest patent infringement cases ever filed with the ITC, asserting eleven patents and thirty-one claims against more than 1,000 different cartridge models sold by twenty-five manufacturers, importers and distributors of aftermarket ink cartridges for resale in the U.S. After a 7-day trial, the Administrative Law Judge found for Epson on every asserted patent and claim, against every single accused product that was adjudicated, and against every respondent that had not already entered into a consent order, and based thereon, the ITC issued a GEO prohibiting all companies, whether or not they were parties to the ITC proceeding, from importing and selling infringing cartridges in the U.S. The ITC also issued a Limited Exclusion Order and Cease-And-Desist Orders against certain respondents. After oral argument, the Federal Circuit affirmed the ITC’s final determination and remedial orders in a per curiam ruling, and the U.S. Supreme Court denied certain respondents’ petition for certiorari, finally concluding the ITC proceedings. The resulting General and Limited Exclusion Orders are being enforced by U.S. Customs & Border Protection.
- Represented Epson as complainants in an ITC Enforcement proceeding, resulting in imposition of civil penalties in excess of $20 million, against all violating respondents.
- Represented Epson as complainants in an ITC Advisory Opinion and Modification proceedings, resulting in findings of infringement by proposed design-around products and modification of an existing GEO to include "components" in addition to ink cartridges.
- Represented Epson as plaintiff in 5 separate cases against 40 defendants in the District Court of Oregon for infringement of 20 patents covering ink jet cartridge technology. Obtained summary judgment of infringement and defeated summary judgment of invalidity and inequitable conduct. Also obtained complete victory of all claim construction terms. Settled all cases on the eve of trial on favorable terms.
- Representing Channell Commercial Corporation as plaintiff against PenCell Plastics, Hubbell Incorporated and Hubbell Power Systems in a patent infringement and tortious interference case involving two patents covering grade-level utility enclosures.
- Represented Intertrust Technologies Corporation as plaintiff against Apple in the Northern District of California, in which Intertrust asserted 23 patents from its portfolio covering trusted computing and digital rights management against virtually every product and service offered by Apple.
- Represented Ansun Biopharma, Inc. (previously known as NexBio) in the California Superior Court, San Diego, as defendant in a breach of fiduciary duty and alleged misappropriation of trade secrets case. The case settled on very favorable terms on the even of trial and after QE associated into the case as lead counsel after eight years of litigation.
- On behalf of Napster, filed for reexamination of defendant’s three patents directed to on-line downloading of music and video. The U.S. PTO granted reexamination of the three patents and has since found every claim invalid. Defendant has filed an appeal. Also obtained a stay of the case while the patents are in reexamination and a denial of a preliminary injunction motion pending reexamination. In addition, successfully countered appeal of the motion to stay and denial of the preliminary injunction wherein appellant dropped the appeal on the eve of oral argument in the Federal Circuit.
- Obtained favorable claim construction rulings in extensive claim construction briefing and hearings for Delphi in a patent infringement action involving automotive air bag covers.
- Represented Seiko Epson Corporation, Epson America and Epson Portland against a major supplier of aftermarket ink cartridges. Obtained favorable claim construction rulings on all construed terms and summary judgment of patent infringement, resulting in a consent judgment and a permanent injunction.
- Obtained a speedy favorable settlement for DaKine Hawaii in a patent infringement case involving athletic gloves used in snowboarding and skiing.
- Represented Balboa Instruments as patentee in a patent infringement action involving therapeutic baths and spas. Obtained numerous grants of summary judgment disposing meritless defenses. Case settled favorably just a few weeks prior to trial.
- Obtained summary judgment for TRW in a $133 million negligence, negligent misrepresentation and fraud action brought by a European satellite manufacturer involving satellite manufacturing, solar arrays, solar energy, solar cells, solar array manufacturing, composite materials, rocket thrusters, optical glass, optical glass coatings, satellite telemetry data, and satellite communication.
- Successfully negotiated a favorable license for Avery Dennison as patentee in a patent infringement action involving free ink writing instruments.
- Obtained summary judgment of non-infringement on behalf of Seiko Instruments Inc. as a defendant in a patent suit in Texas.
- Obtained favorable settlement for H&L Tooth in an action involving multiple patents directed at large scale earth moving machinery, including bucket and teeth technology.
- Loyola Marymount University
(J.D., 1999)- Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review:
- Technical Editor, 1998-1999
- Member, 1997-1998
- Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review:
- Cal Poly Pomona
(B.S., Aerospace Engineering, 1995) - Cal Poly Solar Energy Team:
- Team Leader / Designer, 1994-1995
- Pole-Position Qualifier in Sunrayce 1995
- The State Bar of California
- United States Supreme Court
- United States Court of Appeals:
- Federal Circuit
- Ninth Circuit
- United States District Courts:
- Central District of California
- Northern District of California
- Eastern District of California
- Eastern District of Texas
- United States International Trade Commission
- Registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office
- Armenian
- Extern to the Hon. Daniel A. Curry:
- Los Angeles Superior Court, 1997
- Los Angeles Superior Court, 1997
- Extern to the Hon. Charles W. McCoy:
- Los Angeles Superior Court, 1997
- Los Angeles Superior Court, 1997
- Rockwell International, North American Aviation Division (now Boeing):
- 1995-1996
- Recognized by Legal 500 USA in Intellectual Property: Patent Litigation:
- Recommended Lawyer (Full Coverage), 2023
- Recommended Lawyer (ITC), 2023
- Recognized by Best Lawyers:
- Patent litigation, 2022
- Patent litigation, 2021
- Patent litigation, 2020
- Intellectual Property Law, Patent litigation, 2015
- Intellectual Property Law, Patent litigation, 2014
- Intellectual Property Law, Patent litigation, 2013
- Intellectual Property Law, Patent litigation, 2012
- Super Lawyers Magazine, published in Los Angeles Magazine:
- Southern California Rising Stars 2011
- Southern California Rising Stars 2010
- Southern California Rising Stars 2009
- Southern California Rising Stars 2008
- “Anti-Suit Injunctions in the United States in the SEP and FRAND Context: Recent Developments and Overview,” GRUR Patent (2024)
- ‘“I Invented It, But AI Helped”: How Certain Joint Inventorship Rules Break Down When Humans And An AI System Work Together To Develop An Invention,” Satzfahnenversand GRURPatent (2023)
- “Teaching the Federal Circuit New Tricks: Updating the Law of Joint Inventorship in Patents,” 32 Loy. L.A. L. Rev. 1273 (1999)
- Speaker, “International Trade Commission Investigations,” presented at TechAmerica Oregon’s “Protecting Your Markets from Unlawful Foreign Competitors,” (February 2010)
- Speaker, "Law and Engineering," presented at Cal Poly Pomona Engineering Council Leadership Retreat (May 2010)