Jeannine Yoo Sano
Partner
Jeannine Sano is a nationally recognized first-chair trial lawyer with 30 years of experience handling patent and trade secret trials and appeals in intellectual property venues across the country. Her trial successes have been recognized by IAM Patent 1000, Managing IP, The Recorder, Daily Journal, and Benchmark Litigation, among other publications and awards. She previously served as Chair of the Patent Litigation and ITC Practice Committees of the ABA Section of Intellectual Property. She is a frequent instructor at NITA, teaching trial advocacy skills to practicing attorneys, and serves as a judge for the American Mock Trial Competition and the Federal Bar Association’s Moot Court Competition.
Jeannine Yoo Sano
Partner
Jeannine Sano is a nationally recognized first-chair trial lawyer with 30 years of experience handling patent and trade secret trials and appeals in intellectual property venues across the country. Her trial successes have been recognized by IAM Patent 1000, Managing IP, The Recorder, Daily Journal, and Benchmark Litigation, among other publications and awards. She previously served as Chair of the Patent Litigation and ITC Practice Committees of the ABA Section of Intellectual Property. She is a frequent instructor at NITA, teaching trial advocacy skills to practicing attorneys, and serves as a judge for the American Mock Trial Competition and the Federal Bar Association’s Moot Court Competition.
Jeannine’s command of the courtroom is enhanced by her ability to explain and distill complex technical subjects in fields such as mobile communications, video processing, graphics, operating systems, CPUs and chipsets, memory, power management, LCD and OLED displays, computer-aided design software, and medical devices. She has tried cases in the most active patent district courts, including the Eastern, Western, and Northern Districts of Texas, Middle District of Florida, the Northern District of Illinois, and the Northern District of California, as well as obtaining wins at the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), the Federal Circuit, the U.S. Supreme Court, and the California Court of Appeal on an issue of first impression in California trade secret law.
Experience
Representative Matters
- Certain UMTS and LTE Cellular Communication Modules and Products Containing Same (ITC)
Final determination of no violation based on noninfringement and invalidity of all four patents involving UMTS/LTE standards asserted against mobile communication modules. - Applied Materials v. Ocean Semiconductor (PTAB)
Final written decisions finding all 100+ challenged claims unpatentable in IPRs of four semiconductor manufacturing patents asserted in ten district court litigations. - VideoShare v. YouTube et al. (D. Del.; Fed. Cir.)
Judgment of invalidity of all asserted patents involving video uploading/publishing, affirmed by Federal Circuit. - American Imaging Services v. Autodesk (N.D. Tex.)
Complete defense jury verdict of non-infringement of all accused CAD software products and invalidity of all asserted claims on multiple grounds, followed by cancellation of all claims in ex parte reexamination. - Certain Liquid Crystal Display Devices, Including Monitors, Televisions, and Modules, and Components Thereof (ITC; Fed. Cir.)
Final determination of no violation as to all five patents asserted by Thomson (formerly Technicolor) involving video display technology and LCD manufacturing on behalf of Respondents Chimei InnoLux, InnoLux, and Chi Mei Optoelectronics USA, affirmed by Federal Circuit. - Certain Electronic Devices, Including Mobile Phones and Tablet Computers, and Components Thereof (ITC)
Initial determination of no violation of all intervened patents involving mobile device technology. - Certain CMOS Active Pixel Image Sensors and Products Containing Same (ITC; N.D. Cal.)
Resolved 337 Investigation and corresponding district court litigation involving five CalTech patents on behalf of OmniVision Technology Inc. - Uniloc Luxembourg S.A. et al. v. Amazon.com et al. (E.D. Tex.; Fed. Cir.)
Judgment of invalidity of patent involving digital streaming, affirmed by Federal Circuit. - Coffelt v. NVIDIA et al. (C.D. Cal.; Fed Cir; S. Ct.)
Judgment of invalidity of computer graphics software patent and denial of Rule 59 motion, affirmed by Federal Circuit, cert denied. - Walker Digital v. Google (D. Del.; PTAB)
Judgment of invalidity of all asserted patents accusing social networking products, plus award of all costs following contested motion; all challenged claims cancelled
Honors
- IAM Patent 1000, "World's Leading Patent Professionals" (2015 – 2024) (Individual Silver ranking)
- IAM Strategy 300, "World’s Leading IP Strategists" (2023 – 2024)
- Daily Journal, "Top Women Lawyers" (2024)
- Lawdragon, "500 Leading Litigators in America" (2025)
-
World IP Review "Leaders" 2024
- ALM / Law.com, California Legal Awards Winner, "30 Women Leaders in Tech Law" (2023)
- Benchmark Litigation, California Litigation Star: Intellectual Property (2022 – 2025)
- Managing IP, "IP Stars" (2014 – 2024)
- Northern California SuperLawyers, Intellectual Property, 0.3% of attorneys with 20th consecutive year recognition (2004 – 2024)
- Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll (Honors, 2023)
- San Francisco Magazine, "Top Women Attorneys in Northern California" (2021 – 2022)
- San Francisco Magazine, "Top Attorneys in Northern California" (2020)
- Profiles in Diversity Journal, "Women Worth Watching" (2020)
- National Diversity Council, "Top 50 Women Lawyers" (2016)
- Daily Journal, "Top Intellectual Property Litigators" (2014)
- Managing IP, "Top 250 Women in IP" (2013)
- BTI Consulting, "Client Service All-Star" (2012)
- Chambers USA, California; Intellectual Property, Band 3 (2008)
- Daily Journal, "Top 75 Women Litigators" (2007)
- Daily Journal, “Prominent Alumni of the University of California Hastings College of the Law in 125 Years of California Law”
- Lawdragon, New Stars, New Worlds (2006)
- California Super Lawyers, "Top 50 Women Lawyers" (2004)
Education
- JD – University of California, Hastings College of the Law (1994)
- AB, with Honors, Human Biology – Stanford University (1989)
Admissions
- California
- District of Columbia
- New York
- Illinois
- U.S. District Court Central District of California
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of California
- U.S. District Court Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court Southern District of California
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court Western District of Texas
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
Quotes
She belongs in court...an extraordinary trial lawyer.
IAM Patent 1000
Sano knows how to make a major impact in any forum, including the ITC and PTAB, and has many notable successes to show for it.
IAM Patent 1000
Clients bring Sano in if it appears that a case will go to trial.
Daily Journal
Sano is a seasoned patent trial lawyer who has put in winning performances in courts across the country.
IAM Patent 1000
Sano is sure to put her clients’ needs first, always remaining reasonable and efficient in her approach.
IAM Patent 1000
News & Insights
News & Insights
Evidence for Trial Lawyers: Motions, Introducing Evidence, and Objections
Speaking Engagement
Intellectual Property
IAM Connect Patent Policy and Litigation Conference 2024
Speaking Engagement
Intellectual Property
ITCTLA Mock Hearing Program 2024
Speaking Engagement
Intellectual Property
Axinn Partners Ranked in the 2025 Edition of Benchmark Litigation
Awards & Recognitions
Intellectual Property
CCWC 20th Annual Career Strategies Conference
Speaking Engagement
Antitrust
Axinn Partners Named to Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America 2025
Awards & Recognitions
Antitrust
Literal Infringement Is Identical to Infringement Under DOE … for Issue Preclusion
Axinn Viewpoints
Intellectual Property
Jeannine Sano Ranked by IAM Strategy 300: The World’s Leading IP Strategists 2024
Awards & Recognitions
Intellectual Property
Apple Watch Dispute May Be Split Into Patents and Secrets
Media Mentions
Intellectual Property
WIPO Publishes Patent Landscape Report on GenAI
Axinn Viewpoints
Intellectual Property
