Professional Summary
Nicolas S. Gikkas is Founder of The Gikkas Law Firm, P.C.
Mr. Gikkas is one of the most experienced Intellectual Property attorneys in Silicon Valley, having practiced for 20 years in this ever-changing branch of the law. During his career, he has provided legal services in private practice and as in-house counsel for many well-known high-technology companies. Mr. Gikkas has extensive experience representing companies in patent and complex litigation, patent protection, licensing, and strategic IP counseling. Because intellectual property law is a blend of legal and technical issues, clients are better served when their counsel can understand both the law and the technology. Mr. Gikkas' background as an electrical engineer helps him better address the needs of his high-technology clients by sifting through these complex issues efficiently.
Having a career working both as in-house counsel and in private practice, Mr. Gikkas has a unique perspective on the needs of his clients, This background has made it possible for him to better focus on the legal issues in the context of his client’s business objectives. For over six years, Mr. Gikkas served as Chief IP Counsel and Acting General Counsel for SiRF Technology, Inc., the world’s largest semiconductor GPS chip company, successfully managing litigations and settling disputes with some of world’s cutting-edge technology companies. In addition, he was responsible for placing SiRF on the Ocean Tomo 300 index of companies with the most valuable patent portfolios. Mr. Gikkas also served as Director of IP Litigation at Marvell Semiconductor, defending that company from numerous NPEs (non-practicing entities). During his career, he has represented numerous corporate clients in many federal district courts and at the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC). Prior to founding the Gikkas Law Firm, he practiced law in the Silicon Valley offices of Brobeck Phleger & Harrison, Lyon & Lyon and Haynes and Boone. Before attending law school, Mr. Gikkas worked as an electrical engineer for 10 years, applying his expertise in digital communications technology to design state-of-the-art systems.
EDUCATION
Juris Doctor, University of Florida, 1996
Master of Science in Electrical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 1984
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Rice University, 1982
BAR MEMBERSHIPS AND ADMISSIONS
Member of the following bars:
- California
- Florida
- District of Columbia
Admitted to practice before the following federal courts:
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
Registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office
PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS
Panel Speaker at Silicon Valley Connect 2011, Mountain View, California, Sept. 29-30, Hosted by Chamber of Commerce International Consortium for Entrepreneurs.
Read more >
“International Licensing of Intellectual Property: The Promise and the Peril,” 1 J. TECH. L. & POL’Y 6 (1996). Read more >
REPRESENTATIVE CASES
Patent litigation: Represented plaintiff Silicon Valley patent holder against three companies in the area integrated circuits for controlling displays in tablets, laptops and televisions. (E.D. Texas)
Patent litigation: Represented plaintiff Silicon Valley manufacturer in a declaratory judgment action case regarding remote care and feeding devices. (N.D. California)
Antitrust/Complex litigation: Represented Taiwanese computer connector manufacturer in breach of contract and antitrust litigation on USB connectors and related standards. (S.D.N.Y.)
Patent litigation: Represented Taiwanese defendant in a patent litigation on DC-to-DC power converter chips. (N.D. California)
Patent litigation: Represented defendant major Texas real estate company in the area of real estate search software. (C.D. California)
Patent litigation: Represented plaintiff Silicon Valley company in the area of electronic sensing technology. (N.D. California)
Patent litigation: Represented defendant, a multi-national Silicon Valley fabless chip company, in a patent litigation involving magnetic disc drive read channel chips. (W.D. Pennsylvania)
Patent litigation: Represented plaintiffs, two Silicon Valley chip emulation companies, in three patent cases consolidated for discovery in the area of integrated circuit emulation technology. (N.D. California)
Patent litigation: Represented defendant Silicon Valley fabless chip company in a patent litigation in the area of computer modem and communications connector technology. (D. Utah)
Patent litigation: Represented defendant Silicon Valley pioneer company in a patent litigation regarding cable modem technology. (N.D. California & E.D. Virginia)
Patent litigation: Represented defendant California broadband provider company in a patent litigation regarding cross-connect devices for telephone systems. (E.D. Texas)
Patent litigation: Represented plaintiff, a major U.S. telephone company, in a patent litigation involving cellular telephone technology. (S.D. California)
Patent litigation: Represented defendant Taiwanese computer manufacturer in a patent litigation regarding consumer desktop and portable computer technology. (C.D. California)
Patent litigation: Represented defendant Silicon Valley communications company in a patent litigation regarding silicon wafer production process. (S.D. California)
Patent litigation : Represented plaintiff, a French computer hard drive manufacturer, in an action involving patent, trademark, and copyright relating to computer disk drive technology. (N.D. California)
Patent litigation: Represented California medical device company in two patent litigations regarding cryo-surgical instruments. (N.D. California)
Patent litigation: Represented Silicon Valley start-up company Internet postage technology. (D. Delaware)
Patent litigation: Represented plaintiff, a semiconductor company, in the area of cellular telephone technology. (N.D. California)
Patent litigation : Represented defendant, a leading semiconductor company, in a multi-defendant patent litigation in the area of WiFi technology. (E.D. Texas)
Patent litigation: Represented defendant, a leading seimconductor company, in its declaratory judgment action in the area of WiMAX and Bluetooth technology. (N.D. California & E.D. Texas)
Patent litigation: Represent defendant, a leading semiconductor company, in a multi-defendant patent litigation that included the client’s indemnified customers in the area of WiFi technology. (E.D. Texas)
Patent litigation : Represent defendant, a leading semiconductor company, as a third-party defendant in a patent litigation in the area of WiFi technology. (E.D. Wisconsin)
Patent litigation: Represent plaintiff, a semiconductor company, in two cases against separate defendants the area of global positioning receiver chips. (C.D. California)
Patent litigation: Represented defendant, a Japanese multi-national company, in a patent litigation on thumb drive technology. (E.D. Texas)
Patent litigation: Represented defendant, a Japanese multi-national company, in a patent litigation on computer software. (D. Delaware)
ITC Investigation: Represented as petitioner and respondent in separate matters, a Silicon Valley semiconductor company, in the area of global positioning system receiver chips. (Washington, D.C.)
ITC Investigation: Represented respondent, a Silicon Valley company, and others in an investigation on underground utilities location technology. (Washington, D.C.)
ITC Investigation: Represented respondent, a Japanese multi-national, in an ITC investigation on thumb drive technology. (Washington, D.C.)
Trade Secrets: Represented defendants, two multi-national companies and an employee, in a trade secret misappropriation litigation involving high availability computer systems. (Superior Court, Santa Clara Co., Cal.)
Trade Secrets: Represented defendants in a commercial arbitration matter regarding trade secrets in the area of broadband wireless internet access. (American Arbitration Assn.)
Trade Secrets: Represented Florida broadband company in a commercial arbitration matter regarding trade secrets in the area of digital radio technology. (American Arbitration Assn.)