Robert A. Brooks is a partner in the Intellectual Property Litigation Practice Group of Pepper Hamilton LLP, resident in the Boston office.
Mr. Brooks has over 25 years of trial experience, beginning with a federal court clerkship followed by a stint in the U.S. Attorney’s office in Connecticut. As a partner at Day, Berry & Howard and Shipman & Goodwin LLP, Mr. Brooks represented Fortune 500 corporations in courtrooms across the country in disputes ranging from product liability and warranty to trade secrets, trademarks and patents. He also created the Intellectual Property Department at Day, Berry and managed it for 15 years.
Mr. Brooks has extensive experience litigating and trying cases that are factually and technically complex and managing large teams of lawyers and experts. He has handled a number of “bet the company” cases on behalf of plaintiffs and defendants alike, with damage claims in the tens and hundreds of millions of dollars. While he was responsible for the commercial litigation of a Fortune 50 client nationwide, Mr. Brooks created an Internet-based computerized trial management program that enabled lawyers in the firm and clients to access all relevant case information and manage litigation in an efficient and cost effective manner.
Mr. Brooks’ representative engagements include the following:
Patents
- defended a “bet the company” patent case involving nuclear detection equipment with a nine figure damage claim; met regularly with the company CEO, president and board of directors and supervised a team of 25 lawyers including local counsel and outside patent counsel
- defended a Fortune 100 corporation and its German subsidiaries against claims of patent infringement and trade secret misappropriation in connection with the manufacture of multi-gas analyzers
- defended a Fortune 100 manufacturer against claims of patent infringement involving pneumatic tools; negotiated a settlement involving cross-licenses without any payment of royalties
- prosecuted claims of patent infringement involving compact disc labeling equipment; obtained a multimillion dollar recovery on behalf of client.
Trade Secrets
- worked with leading manufacturer of commercial jet engines to devise and implement strategy for obtaining injunctive relief and damages against spare parts manufacturers; prosecuted numerous theft of trade secrets claims and obtained millions of dollars in judgments
- represented world’s largest manufacturer of people mover systems and elevators in various technology disputes
- defended leading manufacturer of air conditioning equipment for railroad freight cars in suit involving claims of inventorship and unpaid royalties
- obtained defendant’s verdict and multimillion dollar judgment on counterclaim in a suit between leading food service companies involving trade secrets.
Trademarks
- represented household battery manufacturer in multidistrict litigation against Indy Racing team involving misuse of trademarks
- defended claims of trademark infringement in suit between two largest providers of tax-deferred annuities in the country.
Product Liability
- defended leading jet engine manufacturer against wrongful death and personal injury claims arising from crash of Boeing 737 in Africa
- represented estate of decedent killed in helicopter crash occurring on the high seas in case involving numerous technical issues and novel admiralty issues; obtained multimillion dollar settlement while petition for writ of certiorari was pending in U.S. Supreme Court
- represented leading U.S. motorcycle manufacturer in connection with Connecticut product liability litigation
- defended leading helicopter manufacturer in class action suit seeking rescission of purchase of a particular class of helicopter; case settled for a nominal amount after motion to decertify class was granted and upheld on appeal.
Warranty
- sued flexible fuel hose manufacturer on behalf of leading jet engine manufacturer for damages arising out of crashes of F-16 aircraft in Korea; recovered millions of dollars in indemnification
- prosecuted numerous actions on behalf of leading jet engine manufacturer against component and spare parts suppliers; recovered tens of millions of dollars of judgments in connection with same.
General Commercial
- obtained what was then the largest jury verdict in Connecticut state court history on behalf of Fortune 100 insurer against prominent New York City-based construction company
- represented Fortune 100 insurance company in suit against Texas-based architectural firm and national construction manager in connection with various defects in design and construction of largest office complex in the country; obtained multimillion dollar recovery
- on behalf of leading jet engine manufacturer, coordinated and helped defend Australian arbitration involving various disputes arising out of joint venture formed to manufacture alloys used in aerospace industry
- defended large helicopter manufacturer in claims arising out of the sale of multiple helicopters to Philippine Air Force; case settled for a nominal sum on eve of trial
- recovered millions of dollars in arbitration arising out of a partnership between prominent French real estate firms to build the largest commercial and residential complex in New England.
Mr. Brooks is admitted to practice in Connecticut and Maine, and before the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut and the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Second and Eleventh Circuits. He is not admitted in Massachusetts.
