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John L. North

Partner | Atlanta
T (404) 260-6103
F (404) 260-6081

John North, a partner in Kasowitz’s intellectual property group, focuses his practice on patent litigation, as well as trade secret and trademark disputes.  A significant number of John’s patent cases have involved unfair competition claims, including PRE and Walker Process claims as well as patent misuse and Lanham Act claims.  Many international corporations have relied on John to take the lead counsel role in major patent litigations, including an electronics focused major entertainment company, some of the world’s largest pharmaceutical corporations and a cutting-edge minerals technologies company. John was recently named a 2013 “IP Star” by Managing Intellectual Property magazine, a listing that ranks market-leading intellectual property attorneys in the United States through surveys and interviews with other intellectual property attorneys. John was also recently listed in IAM Patent 1000 2013, a guide dedicated to identifying best-in-class patent prosecution, licensing and litigation practitioners in 50 key jurisdictions. Additionally, John was named among The Best Lawyers in America in 2012.

John spends considerable time in court handling trials and hearings, and takes a "hands on" approach to his cases.  He has handled cases involving a wide range of technologies including interactive program guides, consumer products, electronic coupons, computerized healthcare information systems and other electronics issues, pharmaceuticals, various chemical products, medical products, paint, textile dye processes and a variety of minerals technologies.

Prior to joining Kasowitz in May 2011, Mr. North was a partner at Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP, where he chaired the firm’s intellectual property group.

Representative Lead Counsel Experience

  • Suomen Colorize Oy v. Verizon (D. Del), defending certain Verizon entities regarding patent infringement allegations relating to their interactive media guide technology.
  • Shire v. Watson (N.D. Cal.), defending certain Watson entities regarding patent infringement allegations relating to their guanfacine ANDA products
  • DNLookup v. Cox Communications (D. Del), defending Cox regarding patent infringement allegations relating to certain DN Lookup technology
  • In re Gemstar Litigation (N.D. Ga), represented a major international communications/entertainment company (Gemstar/TV Guide), in a series of cases relating to set-top box technologies in which antitrust and patent misuse claims also were involved. These cases were reported to be, at one stage, the largest set of patent cases in the country.
  • Softcard v. Target & Visa (N.D. Ga.), represented the developer of a novel “smart card” technology in a case that settled through mediation.
  • TDS Healthcare Sys. Crop. V. Humana Hosp. Illinois (N.D. Ga.), represented TDS healthcare Systems Corp. through trial in trade misappropriation case relating to computerizing healthcare information systems.
  • Takeda Pharmaceuticals et al. v. Teva Pharmaceuticals (D. Del.), represented one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies (Teva) through two trials of Hatch-Waxman cases relating to lansoprazole. 
  •  Minerals Technology v. Omya (S.D.N.Y.), represented an international minerals company (MTI) through trial of a series of cases relating to wet-end papermaking technology. The cases included patent, trade secret, PRE and Walker Process antitrust claims. The trial focused on novel issues of acid-base chemistry.
  • AstraZeneca v. Impax Laboratories (S.D.N.Y.), represented a major Bay Area pharmaceutical Company (Impax) throughout trial in Hatch-Waxman case relating to Prilosec®, with market at issue in excess of $1 billion.
  • Solvay v. OCI (D. Del.), represented one of the world's largest chemical companies (Solvay) in a case relating to sodium percarbonate.

Special Master, Expert Witness and Other Pertinent Experience

  • Issued an order on claim construction as special master, which the district court adopted without modification. The case subsequently settled.
  • Served as an arbitrator in a matter involving mixed contract and patent issues, which settled before hearing.
  • Submitted an expert witness declaration on attorney's fees issues.
  • Served as a patent misuse expert in a patent litigation matter pending in the Western District of Texas (expert report and deposition testimony).
  • Authored an amicus curiae brief with the Intellectual Property Owners Association on a petition for a writ of certiorari to the United States Supreme Court in Ferring B.V., et al. v. Meijer, Inc., et al. (2010).

Honors and Awards

  • Recognized by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business in the area of intellectual property (2004–2012)
  • Named an “IP Star” by Managing Intellectual Property magazine (2013)
  • Recognized in Intellectual Asset Management's IAM Patent 1000 – The World’s Leading Patent Practitioners (2012-2013)
  • Recognized in the 2012 Top Rated Lawyers® Annual Guide to Intellectual Property Law
  • Named to The Best Lawyers in America in the area of intellectual property and patent law (2009–2013)
  • Selected for inclusion in Georgia Super Lawyers® (2008–2012)
  • Selected as a “2013 Top Rated Lawyer in Intellectual Property” by American Lawyer Media and Martindale-Hubbell™ (2013)
  • Recognized on the list of “Best Lawyers in Georgia” by Best Lawyers® (2012)

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