Michael J. Songer is a partner in the firm's Litigation and Intellectual Property Groups, where he specializes in complex technology cases.
He has tried numerous patent, trade secret, copyright, and trademark cases during his career for a diverse range of clients. Recent significant representations include DuPont (trade secrets and antitrust), CoStar Group (copyright), AT&T (patent), and Canon Inc. (patent).
Notably, Mike was the lead trial counsel in the case DuPont v. Kolon, a trade secrets case involving DuPont's Kevlar® product. After a seven-week trial, DuPont was awarded $919.9 million in damages, the largest jury trade secret verdict and the largest verdict in the state of Virginia.
Mike also specializes in Internet legal issues. He has litigated cases related to "cybersquatter" domain name infringements, "framing" violations, personal jurisdiction on the Internet, use of Internet content as evidence, First Amendment free speech issues, "spam" email violations, and ISP liability. He has provided general counseling related to Internet security offerings, web site content and development agreements, defamation liability, business method patents, online monitoring programs for copyright and trademark violations, multimedia contracts, offshore gambling sites, technology export programs, and e-commerce programs.
Mike has received numerous accolades and awards for his trial work, has been featured in American Lawyer, and named an "IP MVP" by Law360.
Mike has a BSME (nuclear power operations) and a BA (government) from the University of Notre Dame, and a JD from Duke University. He is currently an Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center, where he teaches the "Law of Cyberspace." Mike is admitted to practice in Colorado, the District of Columbia, and before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as a licensed patent attorney.
Publications
· "How Uncle Sam Can Protect Your Trade Secrets," Managing Intellectual Property (March 2010). Co-Authors: Michael J. Songer and Traci L Rodriguez.
· "The Next Frontier of Internet Legal Battles," CNET.com (April 27, 2009). Author: Michael J. Songer.
Alerts & Newsletters
· "DOJ Prosecution of Chinese State-Owned Enterprise for Trade Secrets Theft Offers Lessons for U.S. Businesses," Trade Secrets Alert (March 14, 2012). Contacts: Stephen M. Byers, Michael J. Songer.
· "This Month In International Trade - January 2012," (February 8, 2012). Contacts: Laurent Ruessmann, Kristof Roox, Michael J. Songer, John B. Brew, Alexander H. Schaefer, Cari N. Stinebower, Jini Koh, Elena Klonitskaya, Francesca Condello, David Wolff, Michael Larmoyeux.
· "Recent Guidance For The Protection of Intellectual Property Rights at The EU Border," International Trade Bulletin (January 20, 2012). Contacts: Laurent Ruessmann, Kristof Roox, Francesca Condello, Michael J. Songer, Alexander H. Schaefer.
· "Crowell & Moring's Top Ten Copyright Cases of the Last Year," IP Insights (February 4, 2011). Contacts: Terence P. Ross, John I. Stewart Jr., Michael J. Songer, William J. Sauers.
· "DOJ Appoints New Prosecutors and FBI Agents to Fight IP Crime," White Collar Alert (April 27, 2010). Contacts: Stephen M. Byers, Michael J. Songer, Douglas W. Sullivan, Janet Levine, Melanie Natasha Henry, Daniel L. Zelenko.
· "Re: KSR International Co. v. Teleflex, Inc.," Antitrust Law Alert (November 30, 2006). Contacts: Jeffrey H. Howard, Wm. Randolph Smith, Michael J. Songer.
· "International Trade Bulletin - Volume 1, Issue 8," International Trade Bulletin (June 26, 2006). Contacts: Jeffrey L. Snyder, Robert A. Lipstein, Alexander H. Schaefer, Donald E. Sovie, Michael J. Songer.