In 2021, Andrei Iancu — the former Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office — rejoined Irell & Manella as a partner, returning to the firm where he had built his career before his government appointment. The move underscored what the firm had already demonstrated through decades of landmark IP litigation: Irell & Manella is where the most consequential intellectual property matters are fought.
Overview
Founded in 1941, Irell & Manella LLP is one of the oldest and most distinguished law firms in California and one of the most prominent intellectual property litigation firms in the United States. The firm operates offices in Newport Beach, Century City (Los Angeles), and Washington DC. Its trajectory from its founding is one of the more striking transformations in American legal history: it began as a tax firm handling the financial affairs of Hollywood celebrities and evolved into the firm that has won the largest patent infringement judgment in U.S. history.
The founding partners — tax attorneys Eugene Berger and Lawrence E. Irell (1912-2000) — established the firm in 1941. Arthur Manella (1917-1997) joined in 1944 and became a partner after Berger’s death. The firm’s early decades were defined by its Hollywood client roster: Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Burt Lancaster, Elizabeth Taylor, and Lou Costello were among the clients for whom it managed tax matters. The firm moved to Century City in 1966 and opened a Newport Beach office in 1979.
The pivot toward intellectual property began in 1977 with a patent win for Mattel Inc. Over the following decades, the IP practice grew to become the firm’s defining identity. Chambers USA describes the firm as “the best of the best in patent litigation.” Law360 named it IP Practice Group of the Year in 2021, 2023, and 2024. The World Trademark Review places it as “an enduring presence at the pinnacle of the patent litigation market.” IAM Patent has ranked it No. 1 for highest-value awards from jury trials.
Practice Areas
Patent Litigation. This is Irell & Manella’s most prominent practice area and the one for which it is most consistently recognized nationally and internationally. The firm represents patent holders in district court trials, Federal Circuit appeals, inter partes reviews before the USPTO’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), and International Trade Commission (ITC) proceedings. Its trial record includes some of the most significant patent verdicts in American legal history.
IP Transactions. The firm advises on licensing agreements, patent portfolio acquisitions and dispositions, and related intellectual property transactions.
Patent Office Trials. The firm represents clients in inter partes reviews and other post-grant proceedings before the PTAB. Andrei Iancu’s prior role as USPTO Director gives the firm unique insight into how these proceedings operate at their highest level.
Patent Portfolio Management. The firm advises clients on portfolio strategy, prosecution oversight, and the alignment of IP assets with business objectives.
Trademark and Copyright. Beyond patents, the firm handles trademark registration, enforcement, and litigation, as well as copyright matters.
Trade Secrets. The firm handles trade secret misappropriation claims and defense in litigation and pre-litigation contexts.
Antitrust. The firm’s antitrust practice intersects with its IP work, including issues of IP misuse, standard-essential patents, and competitive conduct in technology markets.
Appellate. The firm handles appeals at the Federal Circuit and other appellate courts in IP matters, with particular depth in Federal Circuit patent appeals.
Business Litigation. Outside of IP, the firm handles significant commercial litigation matters.
Attorney Profiles
Morgan Chu is one of the most recognized intellectual property litigators in the country. He is the brother of former U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu. His career at Irell & Manella spans decades of landmark IP trial work.
Andrei Iancu served as the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office before rejoining Irell & Manella as a partner in April 2021. As USPTO Director, he oversaw the entire U.S. patent and trademark system. His return to private practice at Irell brings an unmatched understanding of USPTO operations, PTAB proceedings, and patent policy to the firm’s client representation.
Rebecca Carson is a partner at the firm. Credential details are not publicly listed beyond her partner status.
Lisa S. Glasser is a partner at the firm. Credential details are not publicly listed beyond her partner status.
Andrew J. Strabone is a partner at the firm. Credential details are not publicly listed beyond his partner status.
Elizabeth C. Tuan is a partner at the firm. Credential details are not publicly listed beyond her partner status.
Location and Service Area
Newport Beach: 840 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660. Website: www.irell.com/
The firm also maintains offices in Century City (Los Angeles) and Washington DC. It operates as a national and international practice, representing clients across the United States and internationally in matters before U.S. courts and the USPTO.
Phone and direct consultation details for new clients are not specified in public materials.
Client Focus
Irell & Manella’s clients are companies and institutions for whom intellectual property is central to their business: biotechnology companies, pharmaceutical firms, e-commerce platforms, software developers, telecommunications providers, and video game studios. The firm also represents universities and research institutions in patent matters.
Given the scale of its notable verdicts — including matters involving over a billion dollars in damages — the firm’s client profile skews toward large-scale commercial disputes where the economic stakes justify elite litigation resources. The firm’s industries of concentration include the full spectrum of technology, life sciences, and digital commerce.
The Irell Technical Analysis Laboratory and the PTAB Masters Program reflect the firm’s investment in technical and procedural infrastructure that goes beyond the capabilities of a typical litigation department.
FAQ
What is the largest patent infringement judgment Irell & Manella has won?
The firm has won the largest patent infringement judgment in U.S. history, though the specific dollar amount and case details beyond individual cited cases are not further specified in publicly available summaries. Among documented cases, the firm secured a $565 million verdict in City of Hope v. Genentech that was affirmed on appeal and was at the time the largest damage award ever affirmed by California courts. The City of Hope named its graduate school after Irell & Manella following that verdict. The firm also won over $1.7 billion in damages and settlements in the TiVo patent wars, and a $200 million jury verdict (plus $102 million in a second trial) for USAA against Wells Fargo for mobile check deposit patents.
When was the firm founded and what was its original focus?
Irell & Manella was founded in 1941 by tax attorneys Eugene Berger and Lawrence E. Irell. Its early practice focused on managing tax matters for Hollywood entertainment figures, including Lucille Ball, Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, and others. The firm’s shift toward intellectual property began in 1977.
Who is Andrei Iancu and what does his presence at the firm mean for clients?
Andrei Iancu served as the Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office — the country’s top patent official — before rejoining Irell & Manella as a partner in April 2021. His experience leading the USPTO gives the firm direct insight into how patent policy is formed and how PTAB proceedings are administered at their highest level.
How does the firm rank in IP litigation?
Chambers USA consistently rates the firm at the top of patent litigation. Law360 named it IP Practice Group of the Year in 2021, 2023, and 2024. IAM Patent ranks it No. 1 for highest-value awards from jury trials. The World Trademark Review describes it as holding “an enduring presence at the pinnacle of the patent litigation market.”
What industries does the firm serve?
The firm’s clients come from biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, e-commerce, software, telecommunications, and video games, among other technology-intensive sectors.
Closing
Eight decades of continuous practice — from Hollywood tax returns in the 1940s to the country’s largest patent infringement verdicts in the 21st century — give Irell & Manella a history that tracks the transformation of intellectual property law from a specialty into a defining arena of American commercial litigation. The firm’s roster, led by a former USPTO Director and long-tenured IP trial partners, represents the top tier of that arena.