Christopher J. Harnett

Chris Harnett, a Shareholder in Maynard Nexsen’s New York Office, focuses his practice on the litigation of intellectual property matters. Over the past three decades, Chris has litigated cases in more than 35 jurisdictions around the country, prevailing for clients at the pleadings stage, during claim construction, in securing and opposing preliminary injunctive relief, on summary judgment, at bench and jury trials, and after appellate review. Those cases involved a wide range of technologies, including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, computer systems, and consumer products.

Chris works closely with clients to develop integrated legal and business-focused strategies that best serve their needs, relying on his strong background in science and his litigation experience. A registered patent attorney, Chris also represents clients in IPR proceedings and assists clients in managing their patent portfolios and in evaluating the competitive patent landscape in anticipation of potential litigation.

After graduating from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1990, Chris began his career at the preeminent intellectual property law firm, Fish & Neave, where he was a Partner for many years.

Notable Cases and Successes

• Represented Takeda against Torrent Pharmaceuticals and Indoco Remedies, defeating ANDA challenges to Takeda’s patents protecting its Alogliptin product (a DPP-IV inhibitor used to treat Type-II diabetes). (D.NJ).
• Represented Celgene/BMS securing favorable IPR decisions directed to patents covering their breast cancer drug, Abraxane. (PTAB).
• Represented Medac against Antares, prevailing in preliminary injunction, summary judgment and appellate proceedings directed to Medac’s methotrexate injector product used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. (D.Del.; CAFC.).
• Represented Praxair against ATMI securing jury trial, summary judgment and appellate victories concerning delivery systems for highly toxic gasses used to manufacture semiconductors. (SDNY; D.Del., CAFC).
• Represented Fisher Controls prevailing in a jury trial and appeal against Neles-Jamesbury in a case concerning noise attenuating industrial valves. (D.Mass.; CAFC).
• Represented Fisher-Rosemount against Control Systems, Inc. securing summary judgment on several grounds and defeating a nine-figure damages claim in a case concerning computerized industrial control systems. (S.D.Tx.).
• Represented a Multinational Electronics Company against Imperium IP Holdings (Cayman) successfully defending against three patents and a eight-figure damages claim concerning image sensors and camera modules. (E.D. Tx.).
• Represented Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary against QLT Phototherapeutics securing a $125M jury verdict concerning a surgical method and photodynamic drug used for treatment of macular degeneration. (D.Mass.; 1st Cir.)
• Represented Senju Pharmaceutical Co. against Akorn and Apotex in favorably settled ANDA cases directed to the ophthalmological drug, Istalol. (SDNY).
• Represented Schering Plough in an ANDA case against Barr Labs, successfully defending Schering Plough’s patent covering temozolomide, a drug used for the treatment of gliomas. (D.Del.; CAFC.).
• Represented Astra-Zeneca securing a preliminary injunction against Apotex directed to Astra Zeneca’s Pulmicort Respules product, which is used as an asthma treatment for children. (D.NJ).
• Represented Agilent successfully defending against an infringement charge brought by Genetic Techs. Ltd. concerning processes involving the use of non-coding regions of DNA molecules. (N.D. Cal.).
• Represented Forest Labs and ONY Inc. successfully defending against patent claims maintained by Tokyo Tanabe concerning Infasurf, a drug used to treat Respiratory Distress Syndrome in premature infants. (NDNY; CAFC).
• Represented Feit Electric Company, Inc. in a favorably settled case involving Blackbird Tech Inc’s assertion of patent claims directed to lighting technology. (D.Del.).
• Represented Becton Dickinson in an arbitration against Critikon successfully asserting patents directed to IV catheter manufacture. (AAA).
• Represented Tyco in a favorable mid-trial settlement of Surgical Dynamics’s assertion of patents directed to spinal implant technology. (W.D. Tenn.).
• Represented Genzyme favorably settling a case directed to sodium hyaluronate injections for treatment of osteoarthritis prior to appeal, after obtaining a preliminary injunction. (D.Mass.).
• Represented a Multinational Technology Company against Vederi securing summary judgment of non-infringement of four patents directed to geo-location technology. (C.D. Cal.)
• Represented Tessera securing a favorable mid-trial settlement against semiconductor manufacturers concerning patented chip miniaturization technology. (N.D. Cal.).

Recognition

• Chambers USA: Leader in the area of Intellectual Property: Patent (2018-Present)
• The Legal 500 US: Intellectual Property — Patent Litigation
• IAM Patent 1000: The World's Leading Patent Practitioners (2014-2016)
• Listed in Best Lawyers in America® for Litigation: Intellectual Property and Litigation: Patent (2009-Present); Patent Law (2024-Present)
• Who's Who Legal (2016)
• New York Super Lawyers (2006-2016)
• Lawdragon 500 "New Stars, New Worlds"