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Mr. Holcomb was selected for inclusion in the Southern California Super Lawyers list in 2013, 2014 and 2015, and was recognized for his work in intellectual property litigation.
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Professional Profile
John W. Holcomb is a litigation partner in the Orange County office of Knobbe Martens.
Mr. Holcomb’s practice consists entirely of intellectual property litigation. He has tried cases involving patents, copyrights, and trade secrets, in the Central and Southern Districts of California, the San Diego County Superior Court, and the Delaware Chancery Court. Mr. Holcomb has also argued appeals before the Federal Circuit and the Delaware Supreme Court. He speaks and writes frequently regarding bankruptcy and intellectual property issues.
Mr. Holcomb graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1984 with a degree in civil engineering. From 1984 to 1989, Mr. Holcomb served as a commissioned officer in the United States Navy, spending three years aboard the battleship U.S.S. New Jersey (BB-62), and two years with the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington, D.C. When Mr. Holcomb concluded his service in the Navy, he enrolled in Harvard’s J.D./M.B.A. program, graduating in 1993. Mr. Holcomb then accepted a judicial clerkship with Bankruptcy Judge Ronald Barliant in Chicago. Upon finishing his clerkship, Mr. Holcomb joined the law firm of Irell & Manella where he was a member of the Litigation Work Group and the Creditor's Rights/Insolvency Work Group.
Mr. Holcomb joined Knobbe Martens in 1997 and became a partner in 2002.
Clerk Experience
Honorable Ronald Barliant, U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge for the Northern District of Illinois, August 1993 - September 1994
Specializing In
Cases, Articles, Speeches & Seminars
Representative Cases
Sprengel v. Mohr; Docket No. 2:11cv08742, 2013 WL 645532 (C.D. Cal.). Represented plaintiff in copyright action filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Obtained judgment after trial that the client is the sole author of the work at issue.
ReCor Medical, Inc. v. Warnking; Docket No. 7387, 2013 WL 3760022 (Del. Ch.). Represented plaintiff in trade secret misappropriation and breach of contract action filed in Delaware Chancery Court. Obtained judgment and injunction requiring defendant to assign patent applications at issue to the client. Awarded attorneys’ fees of over $900,000. Judgment affirmed on appeal to the Delaware Supreme Court.
WeCosign, Inc. v. IFG Holdings, Inc.; Docket No. 8:10cv01200, 845 F.Supp.2d 1072 (C.D. Cal.). Represented plaintiff in trademark infringement and cyberpiracy action filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Obtained judgment in favor of the client including permanent injunction, statutory damages, and attorneys’ fees.
Dahl v. Swift Distribution, Inc.; Docket No. 2:10cv00551, 757 F. Supp. 2d 976 (C.D. Cal.). Represented defendants in patent infringement action filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Obtained summary judgment for the clients of no patent infringement, resulting in favorable settlement.
Carroll Shelby Licensing, Inc. v. Superformance Int’l, Inc.; Docket No. 2:08cv01556, 251 F. Supp. 2d 983 (D. Mass. 2002). Represented defendant in trade dress infringement and trademark counterfeiting action filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Obtained summary judgment for the client of no infringement.
iRise v. Axure Software Solutions, Inc.; Docket No. 2:08cv03601, 2009 WL 3615075 (C.D. Cal.). Represented plaintiff in patent infringement action filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Obtained summary judgment of infringement of client’s patent, resulting in favorable settlement.
Eliminator Custom Boats v. American Marine Holdings Inc.; Docket No. 5:06cv00015, 2006 WL 4941830, 2007 WL 4978243 (C.D. Cal.). Represented plaintiff in trademark infringement action filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Obtained favorable settlement for the client.
University of North Dakota v. James Hardie Research Pty, Ltd.; Docket No. 2:04cv00152, 2007 WL 1521055 (D.N.D.). Represented defendant in action involving the ownership of intellectual property filed in U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota. Obtained summary judgment in favor of the client, resulting in favorable settlement.
Optivus Technology, Inc. v. Ion Beam Applications S.A.; Docket No. 2:03cv02052, 2004 WL 5530838, 2004 WL 5543277, 2004 WL 5700631, 2005 WL 6070811 (C.D. Cal.). Represented plaintiff in patent infringement action filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Obtained favorable settlement for the client.
Articles, Speeches & Seminars
"Intellectual Property Prosecution for Big Data." Presentation to the Harvard Business School Association of Orange County (May 28, 2015)
"Swimming in Deep Water: Lawyers, Judges, and Our Troubled Legal Profession" (Book Review), Riverside Lawyer, a publication by the Riverside County Bar Association (October 2014)
Contributing author, Licenses and Insolvency, A Practical Guide to the Effects of Insolvency on IP License Agreements, published by International Bar Association (2014)
Industry Experience
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