Ming-Tao Yang served as the managing partner of Finnegan's Palo Alto office before stepping into his current role of partner-in-charge of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Ming focuses on litigating patent and trade secret disputes; negotiating license, intellectual property (IP), and technology agreements; and advising clients on IP enforcement, invalidity proceedings, opinions of counsel, and strategic portfolio management. He has litigated and first-chaired over 65 litigations and arbitrations as well as negotiated and drafted hundreds of IP licenses, including many involving standard essential patents (SEPs). Ming's technical expertise encompasses artificial intelligence (AI), computer software, open-source software (OSS), customer relationship management (CRM) systems, wireless communications, integrated circuits (ICs), and semiconductor technologies. He draws on over 20 years of litigation, negotiation, and counseling experience to advise clients in Asia and the United States. Ming has been recognized as an IP Star in California by Managing Intellectual Property and an Outstanding Alumnus by his alma mater National Yang-Ming Chiao-Tung University (NYCU).
Ming frequently serves as lead counsel in litigation, arbitration, and licensing matters, managing patent and trade secret disputes before federal and state courts, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), appellate courts, and arbitration panels. He leverages his extensive experience to negotiate and resolve patent and trade secret disputes while formulating creative and strategic business solutions.
Ming's experience includes defending companies against suits filed by non-practicing entities (NPEs), securing numerous dismissals with no settlement payment or other favorable settlements. He deals with major licensors, often finding favorable resolutions to unreasonable license demands and risks of uncertainties. Ming has defeated patent infringement assertions made by leading wireless-technology licensors, prevailing on non-infringement, invalidity, damages, or other grounds. He also defends clients against patent-infringement assertions by NPEs relating to ICs, semiconductors, solid-state drives (SSDs), video surveillance, streaming, and networking products, securing unconditional or voluntary dismissals in several cases and favorable settlements in others. Ming has litigated several infringement and declaratory judgment actions in district courts as well as appeals to the Federal Circuit and U.S. Supreme Court.
Ming frequently speaks, teaches, and publishes on a variety of IP-related topics. He has served as an adjunct professor and been invited as a guest speaker at both law and business schools. NYCU, one of Taiwan's most prestigious universities, bestowed Ming with two separate awards—a Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2015 and the Best 60-IN-60 Award in 2016, recognizing him as one of its top 60 leaders spanning 60 years. He also received a Distinguished Alumnus Award from NYCU's Department of Mechanical Engineering as well as Order of Coif from the George Washington University Law School.
Ming devotes time to pro bono matters to support people in need in San Francisco Bay Area communities. He represents tenants in jury trials, settlement conferences, and other proceedings before state courts, helping to advance and safeguard tenants' rights. Ming's work has been recognized on the Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll. He was also interviewed by Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto (CLSEPA) and featured in its 2022 Annual Gala for securing a jury verdict upholding tenants' rights.
2:17-cv-05023, C.D. Cal., Judges Real, Segal
Defending ADATA against allegations of patent infringement directed to ADATA’s solid state drives. Case was stayed after ADATA filed two IPRs against all asserted patents, and both IPRs have been instituted by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board of the USPTO.
8:16-cv-02005, C.D. Cal., Judges Carney, McCormick, Staton
2:15-cv-00531, E.D. Tex., Judge Gilstrap
5:15-cv-01777, N.D. Cal., Judge Koh
3:15-cv-01632, N.D. Cal., Judges Alsup, Spero, Westmore
3:14-cv-04959, N.D. Cal., Judges Donato, Ryu, Spero, Westmore
337-TA-837, ITC, Judge Shaw
3:09-cv-02535, S.D. Cal., Judges Bencivengo, Houston, Adler, Battaglia, Crawford, Dembin, Major
6:10-cv-00068, E.D. Tex., Judges Davis, Love
1:10-cv-08291, N.D. Ill., Judges Der-Yeghiayan, Tharp
Supported client Richwave, including conducting legal researches regarding relevant decisions in California.
2006-1-CV-076689, California Superior Court, Judge Kuhnle
6:08-cv-00061, E.D. Tex., Judges Davis, Love
USB Technologies, LLC v. ADATA Technology USA Co., Ltd.
2:17-cv-05023, C.D. Cal., Judges Real, Segal
Si-Flash Drives, LLC v. ADATA Technology (USA) Co., Ltd.
Represented ADATA Technology in patent suit initiated by a non-practicing entity relating to solid state drives (SSDs), flash memories, flash memory controllers, and address mapping; led both the district court litigation and the IPRs (inter partes reviews) of the asserted patents and secured a settlement extremely favorable to the client and leading to the dismissal of the litigation and termination of two IPRs.
8:16-cv-02005, C.D. Cal., Judges Carney, McCormick, Staton
MemSmart Semiconductor Corp. v. AAC Technologies Pte. Ltd.
2:15-cv-00531, E.D. Tex., Judge Gilstrap
Innolux Corporation v. Applied Materials, Inc.
5:15-cv-01777, N.D. Cal., Judge Koh
Logitech Europe SA v. Acrox Technologies Co., Ltd.
3:15-cv-01632, N.D. Cal., Judges Alsup, Spero, Westmore
01-19-0001-6937; 01-20-0000-5081, American Arbitration Association (AAA)
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“Also recommended is Ming-Tao Yang, who is notably skilled in cases involving software and electronics.”
Legal 500 United States
“Also recommended is Ming-Tao Yang, who is notably skilled in cases involving software and electronics.”
Legal 500 United States
Award/Ranking
Finnegan Ranks at the Top of the Managing Intellectual Property IP Stars Rankings Finnegan Ranks at the Top of the Managing Intellectual Property IP Stars Rankings
June 28, 2024
Managing Intellectual PropertyAward/Ranking
The American Lawyer Ranks Finnegan a Top 10 Firm for Minority Representation The American Lawyer Ranks Finnegan a Top 10 Firm for Minority Representation
June 25, 2024
The American LawyerAward/Ranking
54 Finnegan Attorneys Named to 2022 Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll 54 Finnegan Attorneys Named to 2022 Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll
July 21, 2023
Press Release
Managing Intellectual Property IP Stars: Finnegan Scores Top Patent Rankings Across the Board Managing Intellectual Property IP Stars: Finnegan Scores Top Patent Rankings Across the Board
July 13, 2023
Managing Intellectual PropertyCommentary
Patents a Problem for AI, but Inventors Still Finding Ways to Thrive Patents a Problem for AI, but Inventors Still Finding Ways to Thrive
June 22, 2022
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