Brian Haan serves as trial and appellate counsel in intellectual property lawsuits. A former Professional Engineer with significant work experience prior to his legal career, he combines his advocacy skills with an engineer’s analytical aptitude and problem-solving skills as trusted counsel for his clients. Brian has patent trial experience through verdict and has prepared numerous patent cases for trial on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants, resulting in favorable settlements. His practice further includes patent prosecution and post-issuance proceedings, including inter partes review and covered business method review proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.
Brian has appeared in 95 federal court litigations asserting and defending claims for patent infringement, trademark infringement and related Lanham Act claims, trade secret misappropriation, deceptive trade practice, and other business torts. He has deposed and defended numerous fact and expert witnesses in patent, trademark, and copyright infringement lawsuits. Brian has also argued patent claim construction issues in the Northern, Central and Eastern Districts of California, the District of Delaware, and the Federal Circuit. Brian also has extensive experience with third-party litigation finance in intellectual property litigation and has spoken on the subject.
Brian’s patent and trade secret litigation experience includes the following technical areas: barbeque grills; CNC machining; conference call systems; e-commerce software; flooring materials; infrared remote controls; LED lamp assemblies; medical infusion pumps; nutritional supplement compounds; online dating platforms; oxygen absorbers; personal navigation devices; player tracking technology; pop-up ads; secure mobile communications; smart remote apps; synthetic turf systems; telecommunication system base stations; touch-screen interfaces; and wireless digital image systems.
Prior to his legal career, Brian worked as an automotive engineer and became a licensed Professional Engineer. He developed diesel fuel injectors for Navistar International Corporation’s Ford Power Stroke® Diesel program. Brian also calibrated engine control systems for Honda R&D Americas, Inc., including vehicle development at Honda’s research center in Utsunomiya, Japan.
Experience
- Leading manufacturer and supplier of artificial turf systems in competitor lawsuits enforcing patents against competing major suppliers of shock pads and artificial turf systems.*
- Leading manufacturer and supplier of building products in competitor lawsuits defending against utility and design patent infringement claims and enforcing patents involving membranes for heated floor systems.*
- Developer of technologies for secure messaging on mobile devices in enforcing patents against a major manufacturer and supplier of mobile devices and successfully arguing appeals from related inter partes review proceedings.*
- Developer and supplier of real-time player tracking systems in enforcing trade secrets involving player tracking technology against a major supplier of tracking systems for sports applications, including enforcing subpoena for third-party discovery of major football league gameday systems.*
- Developer of shower systems in mediation of Development and License Agreement dispute with leading manufacturer and seller of construction products.*
- Leading manufacturer and supplier of paving systems in defending arbitration of patent correction of inventorship claims and asserting breach of nondisclosure agreement.*
- Leading medical and pharmaceutical device company in patent infringement and ownership dispute related to medical infusion pumps and methods of therapy.*
- Leading manufacturer and seller of barbecue grills and outdoor cooking products in competitor lawsuit asserting claims for patent and trade dress infringement and defending Walker Process antitrust violations.*
- Leading manufacturer and seller of baby products in competitor lawsuit asserting claims for patent infringement related to portable play yards.*
*Reflects experience at previous employer.
Perspectives
Recognition
Credentials
Education
- J.D., Chicago-Kent College of Law, 2008
- B.S., Mechanical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, 2000
- B.A., Engineering Science, Benedictine University, 2000
Admissions
- Illinois
- Supreme Court of Illinois
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
Certificates
- Registered Patent Attorney, U.S. Patent & Trademark Office
Activities
- Member, The Richard Linn American Inn of Court