Brooks Kushman Prevails in Patent Infringement Case for $5.4 Million Against Verizon Communications

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SOUTHFIELD, Mich., March 28, 2011 – On March 18, a jury awarded Cheetah Omni LLC $5.4 million in damages against three subsidiaries of Verizon Communications, Inc. The jury found that Verizon infringed Cheetah’s “fiber to the home technology” Patent No. 7,522,836.

Cheetah Omni is a research and development company that has developed and licensed numerous patents in the field of optics. The founder and chief technology officer of Cheetah Omni is Dr. Mohammed N. Islam who is a professor of optics in the University of Michigan’s Engineering and Medical schools.

The Cheetah patent covers optical processing systems used to transmit TV, Internet and phone service using fiber optics connected directly to customers’ homes. This “fiber to the home” technology allows for delivery of large quantities of information at high speeds, which is important as the demand grows for instant delivery of video to homes. Cheetah Omni sued Verizon, accusing Verizon’s Fiber Optic Service (FiOS) network of infringing. Verizon has deployed its FiOS network in the Northeastern United States, Texas and Southern California. The optical routers in issue used in Verizon’s FiOS network were made by Tellabs, Inc.

Cheetah’s trial team consisted of Brooks Kushman law firm’s Thomas Lewry, John Halan and John LeRoy and T. John Ward, Jr. from Ward & Smith. Verizon was represented by a team of attorneys from the Chicago and New York offices of Winston & Strawn LLP lead by Peter C. McCabe III.

Founded in 1983 by five intellectual property (IP) attorneys, Brooks Kushman P.C. is a leading IP and commercial law firm based in Southfield, Mich. with an office in Los Angeles. Since its inception, the firm has grown to approximately 70 lawyers and patent agents, gaining a reputation both nationally and internationally as a leader in providing cutting-edge, timely and cost-effective IP counseling.

Brooks Kushman counts six U.S. Fortune 100 companies among its clients and is often recognized by peers and leading trade publications. Brooks Kushman is a Go-To Law Firm® selected by the top 500 companies, according to Corporate Counsel magazine; a “Best at Client Focus” firm, according to large and Fortune 1000 companies surveyed by The BTI Consulting Group; and one of the top IP firms selected by the Fortune 250, according to IP Law & Business. For more information, visit www.brookskushman.com.