John L. Cordani

Partner

  • Overview

    Biography

    John Cordani is a Co-chair of the firm's Intellectual Property + Technology Group and member of the Business Litigation Group, who focuses his practice on Intellectual Property litigation. He has litigated patent, trade secret, trademark, and antitrust cases through trial and appeal in federal courts across the United States, obtaining successful results in cases involving a diverse array of technology from specialty chemical products to automated pitching machines. 

    John maintains a world-wide patent litigation, prosecution, licensing and counseling practice. He is a registered patent attorney with extensive experience before the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in document-intensive and scientific disputes. 

    John handles all phases of the patent litigation process, including claim construction, summary judgment, trials, and appeals in infringement matters. He has also tried complex commercial litigations, products liability cases, and land use matters through verdict and appeal.

    John is a contributor to the firm's Manufacturing Law Blog.

    Prior to attending Cornell Law School, where he was the salutatorian of his class, John worked as a chemist, and is a named inventor on multiple patents covering aspects of his research. He currently serves as an Adjunct Professor at Quinnipiac University School of Law, where he teaches a course on Patent Litigation and Strategy, and serves as the co-chair of the Connecticut Bar Association’s Intellectual Property Section. He has also served as a Special Public Defender in a pro bono capacity providing representation for indigent defendants in criminal matters.

  • Experience
    • Experience

      Experience

        Intellectual Property Litigation

      • Obtained favorable judgment after a patent infringement trial involving automated pitching machines, which was affirmed on appeal.

      • Obtained reversal of district court’s entry of summary judgment in a  case of first impression before the Second Circuit Court of Appeals involving the requirements for a nominative fair use defense under the trademark laws.  

      • Successfully argued dozens of patent appeals, re-examinations, and inter partes reviews before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board at the United States Patent Office. 

      • Business Litigation

      • Obtained favorable verdict after a jury trial involving allegations of unfair competition and unfair trade practices in the specialty chemical industry.

      • Obtained favorable verdict after a jury trial representing a large research university in a breach of contract action.

      • Represented chemical manufacturing company in a case involving allegations of bad faith competitive bidding for a tender offer on the company’s publicly traded shares, including obtaining reversal of a pre-trial ruling at the Connecticut Appellate Court. 

      • Appellate

      • Obtained favorable judgments on appeal at the United States Courts of Appeal for the Second and Federal Circuits in several patent and trademark infringement cases. 

      • Obtained favorable judgments on appeal at the United States Courts of Appeal for the Second and Federal Circuits in several patent and trademark infringement cases. 

      • Obtained reversal at the Connecticut Supreme Court for a $4.5 million jury award for loss-of-consortium entered in a medical malpractice action.

      • Obtained reversal at the Connecticut Supreme Court for a $4.5 million jury award for loss-of-consortium entered in a medical malpractice action.

      • Obtained reversal at the Connecticut Supreme Court in a case involving personal jurisdiction over an out-of-state insurer. 

      • Obtained reversal of a felony murder conviction at the Connecticut Supreme Court based on a claim that certain forensic DNA evidence violated the defendant’s constitutional right to confrontation

      • Obtained reversal of a murder conviction at the Connecticut Supreme Court based on a claim that the defendant was deprived of his constitutional right to counsel at trial.

      • Obtained reversal of a “fighting words” conviction at the Connecticut Supreme Court based on a claim that the conviction violated the defendant’s First Amendment right to freedom of speech.

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    • Professional Associations

      Professional Associations

      Quinnipiac University School of Law
      Adjunct Faculty

      Connecticut Bar Association
      Intellectual Property Section, Co-Chair (2019)

      Connecticut Bar Foundation
      James W. Cooper Fellow

      New Haven County Bar Association

      Judge Janet Bond Arterton American Inn of Court
      Barrister (2023)
    • Honors + Awards

      Honors + Awards

      Selected as a Rising Star in the Connecticut Super Lawyers list from 2016 to 2021.

      Named a Connecticut Law Tribune 2015 "New Leader in the Law"

      Named a BusinessNewHaven 2014 "Rising Star"

      Presented with the Distinguished Leader Award by the Connecticut Law Tribune, 2020

      Selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in the area of Litigation-Intellectual Property for 2022 and in the areas of Trade Secrets Law and Trademark Law for 2023

    • Community Involvement

      Community Involvement

      Hartford Seminary
      Board of Trustees
  • NEWS + PRESS
    • Publications

      Publications

      "Precooked Bacon, Artificial Intelligence Patents, and a Defense of the Common Law," published in IPWatchdog (5/17/2023)
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      "Christmas Light Patent Wars: Customer Infringement Notices and Free Speech," published in IPWatchdog (3/10/2023)
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      "Cooperative v. Kollective CAFC Decision Demonstrates Virtues of Consistent and Candid Patent Prosecution Litigation," co-authored with John H. Mutchler, published in IPWatchdog (10/19/2022)
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      "Mailer’s Remorse: Notice Letters and Personal Jurisdiction for Declaratory Judgment Lawsuits," co-authored with Trevor L. Bradley, published in IPWatchdog (5/12/2022)
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      "Transformation or Derivation: Modern Trends in the Fair Use Doctrine from Software to Photography," co-authored with Kayla O'Leary Daly, published in IPWatchdog. (11/17/2021)
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      "Balancing Innovation and Competition: Thomas Jefferson’s View of Obviousness for Mechanical Inventions," published in IP Watchdog (3/5/2021)

      "Fed. Circ. Leaves Room For Nonexpert Obviousness Opinions," published in Law360, co-authored with Brian E. Moran (3/5/2020)
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      "The U.S.-Mexico Patent Prosecution Super-Highway," published in IPWatchdog (2/5/2020)
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      "A Batman Car-Seat Patent, Bane of the State Court Docket," published in Connecticut Law Tribune (10/23/2019)

      "Is the Federal Circuit Really “Terrified” of Reversals?" published in Connecticut Law Tribune, co-authored with Fatima Lahnin (4/20/2015)
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      "The "Atomic Bomb" of Patent Law," published in Connecticut Law Tribune, co-authored with John R. Horvack, Jr. and Damian K. Gunningsmith (4/21/2014)
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      "Could the Greek Gods Have Patented Fire? (Prometheus v. Mayo)," published in Connecticut Law Tribune, co-authored with John R. Horvack, Jr. (4/16/2012)
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      "A Trap for the Unwary: Cross-Licensing of Intellectual Property Can Run Afoul of Sherman Act," published in Connecticut Law Tribune (10/10/2011)

      "Reviving the Federal Circuit’s Dead Letter Teaching, Suggestion, or Motivation Test for the Doctrine Of Equivalents," published in the American Intellectual Property Law Association Quarterly Journal. (Spring 2011)

      "Patent at Your Own Risk: Linguistic Fences and Abbott Laboratories v. Sandoz, Inc.," published in the Cornell Law Review. (September 2010)

    • Presentations

      Presentations

      "Protecting Your Intellectual Property in a Collaborative Supply Chain," co-presented with Kyle G. Hepner and David W. Leibovitch, presented as part of the Naval & Maritime Consortium’s (NMC) “NMC Thames River Working Group Meeting Live” (5/19/2023)
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      "A Brief Patent Primer for Investors," presented during a meeting of the Angel Investor Forum. (5/9/2023)

      "Ethical Practices for Communications with Clients, Opposing Parties, and the USPTO," co-presented with Kayla O'Leary Daly, a Connecticut Bar Association roundtable discussion hosted by the CBA Intellectual Property Section (12/1/2022)
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      "Make48 Hartford, CT," (10/9/2021)
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      "Patent Claim Drafting: Practical Prosecution and Portfolio Strategy Workshop," (4/6/2021)
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      "Ethics in Intellectual Property: Key Insights From Application to Jury Verdict CLE," as moderator of the program presented by the CT Bar Association's Intellectual Property Section. (12/3/2019)

    • News

      R+C in the News

      • May 19, 2023

        John Cordani Considers Inventorship and the Role of Common Law in IPWatchdog Article

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      • March 13, 2023

        John Cordani Discusses Free Speech in Patent Disputes for IPWatchdog

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      • February 10, 2023

        J. Tyler Butts and John Cordani Selected as James W. Cooper Fellows of the Connecticut Bar Foundation

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      • November 9, 2022

        John Cordani and Jackie Scheib Featured in Law360 Article on IP+T Group’s Planned Patent Growth

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      • October 26, 2022

        John Cordani and John Mutchler Co-Author IP Watchdog Article on the Virtues of a Consistent Patent Prosecution Litigation Strategy

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      • May 13, 2022

        John Cordani and Trevor Bradley Co-Author IPWatchdog Article on Notice Letters and Personal Jurisdiction

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      • November 17, 2021

        Kayla O’Leary and John Cordani Author IPWatchdog Article on Modern Trends in the Fair Use Doctrine

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      • October 20, 2021

        John Cordani Serves as IP Adviser for Hartford, CT Edition of Make48 Invention Competition

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      • March 9, 2021

        John Cordani Authors IPWatchdog Article on Obviousness in the Area of Mechanical Inventions

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      • March 6, 2020

        John Cordani and Brian Moran Author Article on Obviousness Published in Law360

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      • February 5, 2020

        John Cordani Authors IPWatchdog Article on New U.S.-Mexico Patent Prosecution Super-Highway Agreement

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      • October 23, 2019

        John Cordani Authors Connecticut Law Tribune Article on State Court Patent Law Disputes

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      • August 16, 2019

        John Cordani Featured in Connecticut Law Tribune Article on Recent Pro Bono Case Win at the Connecticut Supreme Court

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      R+C News Releases

      • August 18, 2022

        74 Robinson+Cole Lawyers Listed in The Best Lawyers in America 2023

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      • October 14, 2021

        Robinson+Cole Lawyers Recognized by Super Lawyers®

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      • August 19, 2021

        65 Robinson+Cole Lawyers Listed in The Best Lawyers in America© 2022

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      • October 15, 2020

        47 Robinson+Cole Lawyers Recognized in Super Lawyers®

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      • October 1, 2020

        Five Robinson+Cole Lawyers Recognized During Connecticut Legal Awards

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      • October 19, 2019

        52 Robinson+Cole Lawyers Recognized by Super Lawyers®

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      • June 24, 2019

        Robinson+Cole Adds Intellectual Property Litigation Partner

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    • Legal Updates/Newsletters

      Legal Updates/Newsletters

      "IP+T Intelligence Newsletter" co-authored with Jenna M. Scoville, Benjamin M. Daniels and Trevor L. Bradley (Q2 2022)

      "IP+T Intelligence Newsletter" co-authored with Maria A. Scungio and Kayla O'Leary Daly (Q4 2021)

      "IP+T: Intelligence Newsletter" (Q1 2021)

      "IP+T: Intelligence Newsletter" co-authored with Maria A. Scungio and Brian E. Moran (Q4 2020)

      "IP + T: Intelligence Newsletter" co-authored with Kayla O'Leary Daly (Q2 2020)