A reversal of a $70+ million judgment against Mattel and popular “Hot Wheels” toys

Jerome Lemelson had brought an infringement suit alleging that Mattel’s “Hot Wheels” toys—one of the most commercially successful toys in history—infringed one of his many patents. A jury verdict of infringement resulted in a judgment of over $70 million in damages and interest. Representing Mattel on appeal, we convinced the Federal Circuit that Mattel’s “Hot Wheels” toys did not infringe Lemelson’s patent as a matter of law. The court concluded that no reasonable jury could have found the patent claim to be both valid over the prior art and infringed, and therefore reversed the judgment against Mattel in its entirety.