Mr. Chu is a partner of Irell & Manella LLP.  He was named The Outstanding Intellectual Property Lawyer in the United States in the first Chambers Award for Excellence, 2006.  Chambers has described Mr. Chu as “beyond doubt the most gifted trial lawyer in the USA,” who “delivers staggering results for clients.”

Mr. Chu was Co-Managing Partner of the firm for two terms from 1997 to 2003 and has been a member of its Executive Committee since 1985.

After law school, Mr. Chu clerked for the Honorable Charles M. Merrill of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, joined Irell & Manella as an associate in 1977 and became a partner in 1982.

Mr. Chu was plaintiff’s lead trial counsel in:

• City of Hope v. Genentech- $300 million jury verdict upheld by the California Supreme Court.  This is the largest damage award ever affirmed on appeal by California courts.  More than $475 million was paid on the final judgment. 

• Stac Electronics v. Microsoft- $120 million jury verdict.

• TiVo v. EchoStar- $74 million jury verdict. Judgment and permanent injunction upheld on appeal, with $105 million paid on the final judgment.

• Immersion v. Sony- $82 million jury verdict.  Sony paid over $150 million when it dismissed its appeal.

• Co-counsel for the plaintiff in Texas Instruments v. Samsung, which resulted in a settlement for the plaintiff of more than $1 billion.

Mr. Chu was also lead counsel for the defendant in one of the “Top Ten Defense Verdicts for 2005,” Ultratech Stepper Inc. v. ASML, in which the jury found plaintiff’s patent invalid by clear and convincing evidence, and in Boole & Babbage v. Candle Corporation in the first trial involving a patent on computer software in 1986 where the jury also invalidated the patent.

Professional Awards

Some of Mr. Chu’s professional awards include:

• “Top Ten Trial Lawyers” in the nation, The National Law Journal (describing Mr. Chu as a “Giant Killer”).

• “100 Most Influential Lawyers in America” by The National Law Journal since 1994 (describing Mr. Chu as “an innovator, with a penchant for reversing trends” along with “extensive pro bono work”.

• “Number One Super Lawyer in Southern California,” receiving highest vote total in a poll of 65,000 lawyers, by Los Angeles Magazine, 2004 (describing Mr. Chu as relishing the thrill of “the quixotic challenge of an impossible case”).

• “Best Intellectual Property Lawyer” in the nation and one of “12 Superstars” in all practice areas based on a 2001 survey of company directors, law school deans, and lawyers by Corporate Board Member.

• “Top 100 Most Influential Lawyers in California” by Daily Journal every year since inception in 1993 (describing Mr. Chu as “brilliant, innovative, indefatigable, and unflappable.  The kind of guy you can imagine performing his own appendectomy”).

• Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers.

• Featured in The Best Lawyers in America (in five categories: bet-the-company litigation, commercial litigation, information technology law, intellectual property law, and technology law), Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in the World, and Who’s Who in American Law.

• Number One IP lawyer in California in 2003-04, according to Chambers Global.

• One of “100 Most Influential Lawyers in California” every year since inception by Los Angeles Daily Journal.

• One of the “Top 10 Most Influential Lawyers in California” by California Law Business (1999).

• One of the “Who’s Who in Technology” of “Top Most Influential People in Los Angeles Internet Industry Companies” by Los Angeles Business Journal (1998).

• One of the “Top 20 Lawyers in Los Angeles Firms” by California Law Business (1994).

• “1994 Executive of the Year in Law” by Los Angeles Business Journal.

• The “Dream Team” law firm by California Law Business (1992).

• One of the top intellectual property lawyers in a survey of clients and lawyers by California Lawyer (1992).

• “Top 45 Lawyers Under 45” in the United States by The American Lawyer.

• “Top Players in High-Tech Intellectual Property” based on a national survey by The National Law Journal (1991).

• Recipient of the Significant Achievement Award for Excellence and Innovation in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) from the Center for Public Resources (1987).

• Featured in article “Up and Coming” by The American Lawyer, describing his role in “precedent-setting” litigation (1986).

• One of ten “New Superstars” in a survey by Legal Times of Washington (1983).

Representative Matters

City of Hope National Medical Center v. Genentech.  Mr. Chu and a team of Irell & Manella attorneys represented plaintiff City of Hope National Medical Center.  A $300 million jury verdict  was upheld by the California Supreme Court.  This is the largest damage award ever affirmed on appeal by California courts.  More than $475 million was paid on the final judgment. 

TiVo Inc. v. EchoStar Communications Corp.  Irell & Manella represented TiVo, the developer of the first commercially available digital video recorder (DVR) and leader in developing and licensing the technology that allows television viewers to control their viewing experience.  TiVo sued EchoStar for patent infringement, asserting TiVo’s patent covering DVR systems.  The jury concluded that EchoStar had willfully infringed TiVo’s patent on its “time-warp” technology for digital video recorders and awarded TiVo $74 million in damages.  The Federal Circuit affirmed.  The defendant has since paid $105 million on the judgment and post-verdict damages.

Immersion Corporation v. Sony Computer Entertainment and Microsoft.  Mr. Chu and a team of Irell & Manella attorneys represented Immersion Corporation.  Immersion, based in San Jose, California, is a leading developer and licensor of “haptic” technologies that allow people to interact with computers using their sense of touch.  Immersion sued Sony and Microsoft for patent infringement, asserting two patents relating to computer-controlled vibrotactile technologies.  Microsoft settled before trial.  The jury returned a unanimous verdict for Immersion against Sony, finding all asserted claims valid and infringed.  The district court entered final judgment in favor of Immersion in the amount of $90.7 million in damages and interest, and ordered Sony to pay directly to Immersion a running royalty during the pending appeal.  Sony later dismissed its appeal and paid Immersion more than $150 million.

Ultratech Stepper, Inc. v. ASM Lithography, Inc.  A few months after the Immersion verdict, Mr. Chu tried a case in the same courthouse, this time representing the defendant.  Mr. Chu led an Irell & Manella trial team in successfully defending ASML, a Dutch semiconductor equipment company, in this multi-party patent infringement suit brought by Ultratech Inc.  While the other two defendants settled and entered into licensing agreements with Ultratech, ASML decided to go to trial.  The jury found clear and convincing evidence that Ultratech’s patent was invalid based on prior art.  The Los Angeles Daily Journal named the case one of the “Top Ten Defense Verdicts” for 2005.  The Federal Circuit affirmed.

Professional Activities and Other Awards

Some of Mr. Chu’s other awards and activities include:

• Harvard Board of Overseers, 2009-present.
• Honorary Doctoral Degree, City of Hope Graduate School of Biological Sciences, 2009.

• "UCLA School of Law Commencement Speaker," May 9, 2008.  Mr. Chu delivered keynote remarks to graduates at the UCLA School of Law commencement ceremony.

• "UCLA Medal," June 2007.  The Medal is the highest accolade for exceptional achievement that the University of California, Los Angeles may bestow upon an individual.

• "Distinguished Advocate," 2006.  The Edwin A. Heafey Jr. Center for Trial and Appellate Advocacy at Santa Clara University School of Law each year selects an outstanding trial or appellate lawyer to visit the law school as a "Distinguished Advocate."

• "PACE-Setter Award," 2004.  The PACE-Setter Awards are presented annually to people of outstanding accomplishment and meaningful endeavor.  It is a premiere Los Angeles event during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and significant because it is a demonstration of PACE's belief that humanity knows no color.

• "Learned Hand Award," 2003.  The Learned Hand Award is given by the American Jewish Committee to an outstanding leader of the legal profession who has been a voice of understanding and goodwill. 

• Mr. Chu is a member of the Board of Directors of Public Counsel (since 1993) and its Executive Committee (since 1995), and the Board of Governors of the University of California, Los Angeles Foundation.  Mr. Chu has been an Adjunct Professor of Law at UCLA School of Law and has served as a judge pro tem.