David L. Hecht, Partner
David L. Hecht is the firm’s founder. He represents individuals, companies, and nationwide classes in high-stakes commercial disputes. David is “one of the few attorneys who can claim to have actually beaten [Apple,] the notoriously litigious tech giant.”
The IAM Patent 1000: The World’s Leading Patent Practitioners ranked David as one of the world’s leading patent litigators since 2020. His clients have described him as having “a brilliant legal mind and a passion for the law along with free-flowing writing skills.” “He gives personal attention to his clients and their cases, is extremely patient, excellent at communication and brilliant on strategy.”
Clients have also described David as doing “everything humanly possible to keep clients happy and deliver the wins they seek — and he loves it.” “Entrepreneurial, tenacious, motivational, he does a superb job carrying the day in high-exposure computer, software, communications and medical technology cases.”
David is a trained electrical and computer engineer and registered patent attorney. He has appeared in dozens of patent-related matters, including inter partes review proceedings, for industry giants including Raytheon, Huawei, and MediaTek. He has tried numerous District Court and International Trade Commission (ITC) cases to verdict involving a wide range of computer, software, communications, and medical product-related technologies. Among the most notable of those trials was Apple v. Samsung, known as the "patent trial of the century." David was also part of the trial team that secured the first-ever exclusion order against Apple in the ITC.
David also has extensive experience in copyright and Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) cases. Most recently, he was lead counsel for Corellium in a bet-the-company litigation against Apple—and won. First, he won summary judgment. Then, Apple dropped the remainder of its claims on the eve of trial. David also helped secure a $25 million copyright jury trial win for music publishing house BMG Rights Management, named the largest verdict in Virginia in 2015.
David holds a rare and highly coveted educational trifecta: degrees in engineering (B.S. in electrical and computer engineering), business (M.B.A.), and law (J.D.). He worked as a network engineer prior to law school and a patent agent while a law student. David also founded several successful startups during the Great Recession, including real estate investment and event production companies. He draws from his diverse background and experience to understand the most intricate details of his clients' intellectual property and/or business. Prior to founding the firm, David worked for several international law firms, including Jones Day, Quinn Emanuel, and Steptoe & Johnson. He also worked as in-house counsel for a publicly-traded company focused on licensing and intellectual property assertion.
David’s high-profile cases have been featured in nearly every major publication and newscast in the United States, and the world, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, BBC News, USA Today, Newsweek, Bloomberg, Variety, Forbes, Huffington Post, Rolling Stone, Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Us Weekly, TechCrunch, The Verge, NPR, CNN, CBC, NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, and Entertainment Tonight.
Since 2015, David has been recognized as a New York Super Lawyer and Rising Star. He is also a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US), and certified by the Blockchain Council as a Certified Blockchain and Law Professional, Certified Blockchain Expert, and Certified Bitcoin Expert. The CryptoCurrency Certification Consortium (C4) has also certified David as a Certified Bitcoin Professional.
In perhaps the ultimate of client endorsements, David has been “shouted out” in a rap music video by his client 2 Milly.
Notable Representations
Lead counsel for Corellium, LLC against Apple, Inc. in a bet-the-company lawsuit in the Southern District of Florida involving copyright infringement and DMCA claims; matter settled favorably following a win on summary judgment across all of Apple’s copyright claims and Apple’s eventual withdrawal of its DMCA claims.
Lead counsel for Proxense LLC against Samsung in a patent infringement case involving mobile payment technology in the Western District of Texas.
Lead counsel for Kroy IP against Groupon, Inc. in a patent infringement case in the District of Delaware.
Lead counsel for Solid 21, Inc., owned by Chris Aire, the “King of Bling” in several trademark infringement lawsuits; obtained settlements for Solid 21 against Hublot, an LVMH brand, and Ulysse Nardin, a Kering brand.
Lead counsel for Stone Interactive Ventures in a patent litigation suit against Electronic Arts; matter resolved two weeks after David was engaged.
Lead counsel for world-famous saxophonist Leo P. in a false endorsement litigation against Epic Games; matter resolved after David overcame a motion to dismiss, which resulted in new law being established in the field.
Represented music publisher copyright holders against a large Internet Service Provider (ISP) relating to allegations of vicarious/contributory liability for copyright infringement by its customers.
Represented women-run Alex and Ani against Bank of America in litigation involving allegations of discriminatory and illegal lending practices (matter settled approximately one month after the complaint was filed)
Represented Alfonso Ribeiro (host of America's Funniest Home Videos), BlocBoy JB, Backpack Kid, and rapper 2 Milly in litigations involving misappropriation of likeness, copyright infringement, and/or trademark infringement against Epic Games and Take-Two Interactive.
Represented a putative class of airline ticket purchasers against Southwest Airlines and Boeing regarding the MAX 8.
Defended a major American defense contractor and industrial corporation before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.
Defended Furniture World, a New Jersey furniture distributor, against allegations of design patent and copyright infringement by Ashley Furniture; matter settled favorably.
Represented a pharmaceutical patent holder in several Hatch Waxman ANDA litigations relating to opioid dependence treatment medication
In November 2020 Billboard magazine featured a story on the copyright registration of “Single Ladies - Put a Ring on It.” David’s client, JaQuel Knight, was recognized as “the first commercial choreographer in pop music to succeed in [obtaining a copyright registration] for his work.”
Thought Leadership
Fordham Intellectual Property, Media & Entertainment Law Journal, Managing Editor
BAR ADMISSIONS
State of New York
State of New Jersey
U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
U.S. Patent & Trademark Office
EDUCATION
J.D., Fordham University School of Law
M.B.A., Rutgers University School of Business
B.S., Rutgers University School of Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, cum laude