Kenneth Weatherwax is an associate in the Los Angeles office of Irell & Manella LLP. His practice focuses on intellectual property with a concentration in patent litigation, prosecution and licensing.

Mr. Weatherwax has represented clients in numerous matters before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, including patent examinations, reexaminations and interferences. The technology involved in these matters has included, for example, audio reproduction, point of sale and enterprise management software, subcutaneous drug delivery, polymerase nucleic acid quantitation, and recombinant RNA preparation.

Mr. Weatherwax has represented clients in numerous patent litigation matters. For example, in Tessera, Inc. v. Micron Technology, Inc., et al., Mr. Weatherwax represented plaintiff Tessera, Inc. in an action alleging infringement by Micron Technology and Infineon AG products of five patents relating to reliable semiconductor packaging technology. In Unova, Inc. v. Hewlett-Packard Co., Mr. Weatherwax represented Hewlett-Packard Co. in the defense of an action alleging infringement by Hewlett-Packard's notebook computers of eight patents relating to battery management. In Edwards Lifesciences, Inc. v. St. Jude Medical, Inc., Mr. Weatherwax represented St. Jude Medical, Inc. in the defense of an action alleging infringement by St. Jude's heart repair products of four patents relating to heart valve surgery prostheses. Mr. Weatherwax has represented numerous other patent clients in litigation or mediation matters not resulting in public client disclosure, involving technologies such as automated retail processing and wheel finishing.

Mr. Weatherwax has counseled clients in numerous intellectual property valuation and licensing matters in connection with company and property acquisitions and licensing, involving technologies such as audio communication amplification, telephone call multiplexing, and home and arcade computer games and their distribution channels.

In 2007, Mr. Weatherwax was selected for inclusion in Los Angeles Magazine's Southern California "Rising Stars" in intellectual property law.

Before beginning his practice, Mr. Weatherwax served as law clerk to the Honorable Robert Beezer of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Seattle, Washington, and as civil extern to the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of California in Sacramento.

Before entering law school, Mr. Weatherwax worked for six years in the energy industry for consulting firms whose clients included state public utilities commissions, major investor-owned and municipal electric power utilities, and private electric power providers. His engineering work included electric vehicle air quality impact analyses; evaluations of conservation and energy efficiency programs; electric power production cost modeling and price and load forecasts; natural gas pipeline risk assessments; and need assessments for electric power generation, transmission, and distribution facilities. His management responsibilities included handling tax and payroll for a small corporation.

Mr. Weatherwax likes to snowboard, backpack, and discuss film and history. He lives in Marina del Rey, California.

Bar & Court Admissions

• 2002, California
• U.S. Courts of Appeals, Fourth and Ninth Circuits
• U.S. District Court, Central and Northern Districts of California
• U.S. Patent and Trademark Office