Ferlillia V. Roberson

Ferlillia has achieved significant courtroom successes for clients in complex intellectual property cases in a variety of Federal District Courts popular with patent plaintiffs, including the Western and Eastern Districts of Texas, the Eastern District of Michigan, the Northern District of Illinois, the Northern District of California, and the District of Delaware, among others.

Ferlillia also has extensive experience in Section 337 patent investigations before the ITC and has represented some of the world's largest technology companies in complex, multi-patent ITC litigation. She is well-versed in the particularities of ITC litigation from both the Complainant's and Respondent's perspective, including recent experience representing many of the world's largest technology, industrial, and automotive companies in several different large-scale investigations involving several patents.

Representative Matters

• Certain Infotainment Systems, Components Thereof, and Automobiles Containing the Same (ITC Investigation No. 337-TA-1119) Represented car manufacturers and suppliers in patent infringement action related to video and display systems in vehicles
• In the Matter of Certain Thermoplastic-Encapsulated Electric Motors, Components Thereof, and Products and Vehicles Containing Same II (ITC Investigation No. 337-TA-1073) Represented car manufacturers and suppliers in patent infringement action related to thermoplastic motors in vehicles
• In the Matter of Certain Thermoplastic-Encapsulated Electric Motors, Components Thereof, and Products and Vehicles Containing Same (ITC Investigation No. 337-TA-1052) Represented equipment suppliers and chip manufacturers in patent infringement action related to pump technology
• Intellectual Ventures II LLC v. Denso Corporation et al. 1:17-cv-00297 (D. Del.)
• Lincoln Electric Co. v. ESAB Group (E.D. Tex.) Represented ESAB in patent infringement action related to hardware and software technology for welding power supplies
• Advised largest manufacturer of evaporative heat rejection and thermal storage equipment in connection with evaporator and coolant production redesign following representation of client in related patent infringement case
• Advised Midwest chemical waste company in connection with successful redesign of new production and processing systems, including conducting patent portfolio and freedom to operate analysis
• Trial counsel for a leading mobile device communications company in a patent infringement case in the International Trade Commission relating to mobile device graphics technology
• Represented defendant, a leading pet food manufacturer, in a patent infringement case relating to nutrigenomics in the Southern District of California. Resolved case in defendant's favor after court granted section 101 summary judgment motion
• Trial counsel for defendant, a leading mobile device manufacturer in a patent infringement jury trial in the Northern District of California relating to wireless device activation and management. The district court overturned jury's verdict in favor of defendant after granting JMOL motion
• Trial counsel for plaintiff, a leading mechanical system manufacturer, in a patent infringement case relating to heat exchangers in the District of Maryland

Chambers USA

• Band 4, Illinois Intellectual Property (2023-2024)
• Up and Coming, Illinois Intellectual Property (2021-2022)

The Legal 500 United States

• Recommended, Patent Litigation: Full Coverage (2021)
• Recommended, Patents: Litigation (International Trade Commission) (2020)

Additional Awards

• National Bar Association "Top 40 Under 40 - Nation's Best Advocates" Award Recipient (2018)
• Named to Crain's Custom Media's list of Chicago's Notable Women Lawyers (2018)
• Recognized as an Emerging Leader by the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce (March 19, 2017)

• Trade secrets are more important, and trade secret litigation is more common, 29 Sep 2017
• Trade secrets are more important, and trade secret litigation is more common: 7 questions to ask yourself about protecting your company, 3 Aug 2017
• Co-author, "Corporate Counsel Should Carefully Consider the Company's Trade Secret Position and Form a Game Plan to Protect the Company," IPWatchdog, November 3, 2017
• Author, "How Alice has fared in Delaware," World Intellectual Property Review, March 18, 2016

Ferlillia regularly gives lectures offering CLE credit on intellectual property, patent and trade secret issues and frequently speaks in the US on a variety of topics relating to US patent ligation and the legal profession.

• Co-presenter, “US Supreme Court IP Review: Notable Patent Law Decisions, Related Strategies and Predictions,” DLA Piper’s 2017 Global Seminar (Japan), October 17, 2017
• Co-panelist, "Understanding the Supreme Court's Recent Patent Decisions," DLA Piper Women In IP CLE Program, October 3, 2017
• Co-presenter, "An Integrated Approach To Balancing Strong Patents Against Protection And Enforcement Of Trade Secret," Global Intellectual Property Professional Institute Seminar (Japan), May 18, 2017
• Moderator, "Losing the Keys to the Castle: What In-House Counsel Need to Know About Trade Secret Litigation," Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC)-Chicago, February 2, 2017
• Co-presenter, "iLEAD-Lessons from Women in Leadership," Chicago Urban League Women's Board Luncheon, November 12, 2016
• Co-presenter, "Abbot Laboratories Patent Day Program," Inter Parties Review (IPRs) Panel, May 19, 2016
• Co-presenter, "Hot Topics in IP Law: Copyright Infringement In the Cloud: Examining the Challenges of the 'Digital Storage Locker,'" ABA IP Litigation Committee Roundtable, February 10, 2016
• Moderator, "Lawyers in Charge: Meet GCs in Illinois Government," BWLA's Government Services Subcommittee Meeting, January 21, 2016
• Co-presenter, "Joint Defense and Indemnification - Getting Along with Others," Practicing Law Institute's 2015 Patent Litigation Conference