Sheppard Mullin Wins Jury Verdict for Qorvo Inc. in Trade Secret Misappropriation and Patent Infringement Case
Sheppard Mullin won a $38.6 million verdict for client Qorvo Inc. in a two-week jury trial over allegations of trade secret misappropriation and patent infringement by Akoustis, Inc. and Akoustis Technologies Inc.
After finding that Akoustis infringed two Qorvo patents and willfully and maliciously misappropriated more than 36 trade secrets involving Qorvo’s radio frequency technology, a jury in a Delaware federal court awarded Qorvo over $31.5 million in compensatory damages and $7 million in exemplary damages.
“This was a long, hard-fought case, and we are delighted that the jury recognized the value of our client’s intellectual property and returned a verdict that will force Akoustis to account for its egregious behavior,” said Sheppard Mullin partner Robert Masters, who led the Sheppard Mullin team for Qorvo.
Greensboro, N.C.-based Qorvo sued Akoustis in October 2021, claiming that Akoustis infringed its patents covering bulk acoustic wave resonator filters, which are a vital component in advanced radio frequency filtering solutions for wireless devices. Qorvo also alleged that, since its founding in 2014, Akoustis “had engaged in conscious, methodical and systematic recruitment and solicitation of Qorvo's employees in all major areas" in an effort to obtain Qorvo’s confidential information. Qorvo alleged that Akoustis used Qorvo’s confidential and trade secret information "to shortcut the hard work of building an innovative company and to shorten the typical time to market for new products," according to the complaint.
In addition to Masters, the Sheppard Mullin trial team included partners Jonathan DeFosse and Jennifer Klein Ayers, special counsel Timothy Cremen, and associates Kazim Naqvi, Roy Jung, and Zachary Alper. Additional team members included Melissa Patrick, Stephanie Limbaugh and Mildred De La Rosa.
The case is Qorvo Inc. v. Akoustis Technologies Inc. et al., 1:21-cv-01417, U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware.
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