Alexander J. Chern

Alex is a trial lawyer who frequently handles high-stakes intellectual property cases and cases involving Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory (“FRAND”) licensing of standard essential patents.

Alex is involved in every step of a case, from creating the initial case strategy to developing trial themes and taking witnesses in both jury and bench trials.  And as a former federal judicial clerk, Alex also understands how to craft and present persuasive arguments before trial, often writing, arguing, and winning critical motions.

Alex also specializes in developing trial strategies and themes in breach of FRAND cases and cases involving FRAND-encumbered patents.  Alex represented Ericsson in its FRAND-related disputes with Lenovo, Apple, and Samsung, where he took and prepared witnesses for trial, played a key role in securing victories on critical motions, and helped create and implement successful global litigation strategies that led to favorable settlements.    

Before joining McKool Smith, Alex spent a year as a judicial clerk for the Honorable Amos L. Mazzant of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas and worked at a top international firm.  Before that, Alex spent a full year drafting briefs filed with the United States Supreme Court as a member of UT Law’s U.S. Supreme Court Clinic and served as a law clerk for the Texas Office of the Solicitor General. 

• Ericsson v. Lenovo. Represented Ericsson in global FRAND-related and patent infringement disputes against Lenovo.  Alex helped craft Ericsson’s global litigation strategy and took and prepared witnesses at Ericsson’s U.S. ITC proceedings.  After multiple trials and a finding at the U.S. ITC that Lenovo infringed four of Ericsson’s patents, the parties settled on confidential terms. 
• Ericsson v. Apple. Represented Ericsson in FRAND-related and patent infringement disputes against Apple.  In addition to helping craft Ericsson’s litigation strategy and taking fact and expert witness depositions, Alex helped secure major pre-trial victories, including on motions that he drafted and argued in court.  Alex also helped prepare key Ericsson witnesses for trial.  After 4 days of trial, the parties settled on confidential terms.    
• Ericsson v. Samsung. Represented Ericsson in a FRAND-related dispute against Samsung.  Alex helped secure a crucial anti-interference injunction (also called a foreign anti-antisuit injunction) preventing Samsung from enforcing an antisuit injunction it had obtained in Wuhan, China.  After Ericsson obtained the anti-interference injunction, the parties settled on confidential terms.
• Daingean v. AT&T; T-Mobile. Represented AT&T, T-Mobile, and intervenors Ericsson and Nokia in their disputes with Daingean, an Atlantic IP entity.  After initially filing suit on six patents, Daingean dropped all but one patent.  In addition to his significant pre-trial responsibilities, Alex took and prepared witnesses at both trials.  In the AT&T trial, the jury found that AT&T did not infringe Daingean’s patent.  And in the T-Mobile trial, the jury found non-infringement as to one set of accused products; on the other, the jury awarded Daingean less than 1% of its claimed damages. 
• IP Bridge v. Ericsson. Represented Ericsson in its dispute with IP Bridge.  After IP Bridge sued Ericsson for alleged patent infringement, Alex helped craft offensive FRAND-related counterclaims, took fact and expert witness depositions on FRAND- and damages-related issues, and helped build persuasive trial themes.  Before trial began, the parties settled on confidential terms.
• Arbitration. In addition to representing clients in court, Alex also represents clients in confidential international arbitrations.
• Licensing Negotiations. Alex assists clients with patent licensing negotiations, both before litigation is filed and while litigation is ongoing.

• Named among the Top Most Active and Performing Attorneys Representing Complainants by the Patexia ITC Intelligence Report, 2024-2026