Christopher Reagan Liro

Christopher R. Liro is a registered patent attorney at Andrus Intellectual Property Law and focuses his practice on intellectual property litigation in federal district and appellate courts, as well as at the International Trade Commission. 

Chris has litigated patent disputes involving technologies including wireless communications, medical devices, semiconductor manufacturing, automotive components, and food packaging and manufacturing, for clients including Research In Motion, C.R. Bard, Zimmer, Seaquist Closures, Bank of America and Pylon Manufacturing. He manages and executes all aspects of litigation, including developing litigation and settlement/licensing strategies; conducting discovery and motion practice; assessing client and competitor intellectual property assets and litigation-related risks; negotiating litigation and settlement positions; representing clients at hearings and trials; and partnering with in-house counsel and business and technical staff. 

Chris received his bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1990, where he was a member of the Tau Beta Pi and Chi Epsilon honor societies, and received his master of science degree in civil engineering from the same institution in 1991. He received his juris doctor degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 2000 (magna cum laude), where he was a member of the Order of the Coif, the recipient of the Saul L. Nadler Memorial Award, and a contributing editor to the University of Michigan Law Review. Chris served as a law clerk to the Honorable William C. Bryson of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit from 2000-2001. Prior to joining Andrus, Chris was an intellectual property litigation partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Chicago. 

Chris is admitted to practice law in Wisconsin and Illinois, and before the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. Chris also represents clients on a pro bono basis before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims through the Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program, and before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit through the Federal Circuit Bar Association Veterans Pro Bono Program. In June 2012, he received an Annual Pro Bono Excellence Award from the Federal Circuit Bar Association for his work in the Veterans Pro Bono Program. 

Representative Cases (prior to joining Andrus):  

• Mformation Technologies, Inc. v. RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED, No. 5:08-CV-04990 (N.D. Cal.). Obtained post-trial grant of judgment as a matter of law of non-infringement in August 2012 for client Research In Motion in case involving wireless device management.
• General Mills Marketing, Inc. v. FRITSCH GMBH, No. 0:11-CV-02099 (D. Minn.). Obtained stay of litigation pending reexamination in April 2012 for client FRITSCH in patent case involving commercial dough processing equipment technology.
• Robert Bosch LLC v. PYLON MFG. CORP., Nos. 2011-1363, -1364. Represented client Pylon in appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in patent case involving windshield wipers.
• Hollister, Inc. v. C. R. BARD, INC., No. 1:10-CV-06427 (N.D. Ill.). Plaintiff Hollister and client C. R. Bard entered a settlement agreement in June 2011 in patent case involving critical care medical device.
• In re Certain Electronic Imaging Devices, ITC Inv. No. 337-TA-726. Complainant Flashpoint and client Research In Motion entered settlement agreement in 2011 in case involving patents on digital camera controls and displays.
• In re Certain Authentication Systems, Including Software and Handheld Electronic Devices, ITC Inv. No. 337-TA-697. Complainant Prism Technologies and client Research In Motion entered settlement agreement in 2010 in case involving patent on authentication protocols.
• In re ZIMMER HOLDINGS, INC., 609 F.3d 1378 (Fed. Cir. 2010). Obtained grant on petition for writ of mandamus, ordering transfer of case from the Eastern District of Texas to the Northern District of Indiana, the location of the headquarters of client Zimmer.
• Digene Corp. v. THIRD WAVE TECHS., INC., 323 Fed. App'x 902 (Fed. Cir. 2009).  Obtained affirmance of summary judgment of non-infringement for client Third Wave in case involving patent on DNA-based diagnostic testing.  
• ZIMMER TECHNOLOGY, INC. v. Howmedica Osteonics Corp., No. 3:02-CV-0425 (N.D. Ind.). Client Zimmer and defendant Howmedica entered settlement agreement in 2009, in case involving patent on orthopedic implant design.   
• Visto Corp. v. RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED, No. 2:06-CV-181 (E.D. Tex.).  Plaintiff Visto and client Research In Motion entered settlement agreement in 2009 in case involving patents on data synchronization protocols.
• Every Penny Counts, Inc. v. BANK OF AMERICA CORP., No. 2:07-CV-042 (M.D. Fla.).  Obtained summary judgment of invalidity of patent-in-suit under Bilski for client Bank of America in 2009 in case involving patent on banking method.