Texas Jury Returns $166M Verdict in AT&T Patent Dispute

Ward, Smith & Hill attorneys help secure win for patent owners

LONGVIEW, Texas, Jan. 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- An Eastern District of Texas jury has returned a $166.3 million verdict in a patent infringement lawsuit against AT&T for infringing two Finesse Wireless LLC patents.

Utah-based Finesse filed the lawsuit in August 2021 alleging that AT&T's 4G LTE and 5G networks infringed its patents for reducing interference from unwanted signals in wireless communications.

The trial went before U.S. District Judge Rodney Gilstrap where jurors deliberated for three hours before finding on Friday that AT&T infringed a total of 10 claims across U.S. Patent Nos. 7,346,134 and 9,548,775. Jurors also found that AT&T failed to prove that any of the claims were invalid.

"Our team is very proud that the jury saw that our client's technology was being used by AT&T without permission," said Ward, Smith & Hill partner Andrea Fair. "We were honored to assist a very talented team of lawyers from Susman Godfrey, including lead counsel Joe Grinstein, Meng Xi and Meg Griffith."

Mr. Grinstein, Ms. Xi and Ms. Griffith from Susman Godfrey presented Finesse's corporate representative, examined the technical experts in the case and presented opening and closing arguments, along with Ward, Smith & Hill co-founder Johnny Ward. Mr. Ward and Ms. Fair cross-examined AT&T's and Nokia's corporate representatives and fact witnesses, and Ms. Fair presented the damages side of the case, including presenting and cross-examining both sides' damages experts.

The case is Finesse Wireless LLC v. AT&T Mobility LLC, case number 2:21-cv-00316, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.

For more information about Ward Smith & Hill's patent litigation practice, visit: http://wsfirm.com/practice-areas/patent-litigation/.

Longview, Texas-based Ward, Smith & Hill, PLLC, has tried more than 350 cases to verdict, earning a national reputation in high-stakes claims involving complex commercial litigation, intellectual property law, oil and gas matters, bad faith insurance claims, and serious personal injury claims. The firm frequently assists lawyers nationwide in complex cases before Texas juries. To learn more about the firm, visit http://www.wsfirm.com.

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SOURCE Ward, Smith & Hill, PLLC