Niall A. MacLeod

Niall MacLeod joined the firm in April 2007, bringing more than 10 years experience litigating high-profile patent cases and commercial disputes.  Niall also has experience prosecuting patents and is admitted to practice before the bar of the United States Patent & Trademark Office.  Niall’s practice focuses on patent and intellectual property litigation in various technologies, including medical devices, internet-based systems and technologies, computer hardware and software technologies, and telecommunications systems.

Selected Results

William and Sandra Metcalf d/b/a Ramco v. E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Case No. 05-CV-1035 (District of Minnesota): Represented Minnesota entrepreneurs William and Sandra Metcalf in claims of breach of contract, misappropriation of trade secrets, and various commercial torts against the Fortune 50 company E.I. du Pont relating to optimization algorithms in floor-covering software. Following a sealed Order on cross motions for summary judgment, the case settled approximately one month before trial was set to begin.

General Electric v. Prince, No. 06-cv-0050-SAS (S.D. New York). Defended General Electric against patent infringement allegations relating to magnetic resonance angiography technologies. Extensive work with expert witness physicians in drafting expert reports, depositions of inventors and other fact witnesses. Case settled on confidential terms.

BTG v. Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Netflix, and Overstock.com, No. 1:04-cv-01264-SLR (D. Delaware). Represented BTG in patent infringement action against 4 internet-based companies. Patents related to systems for tracking internet navigation paths. Work involved numerous depositions, hearings, and work with experts. Case settled on confidential terms.

TV Interactive v. Microsoft, No. 3:02-cv-2385-JSW (N.D. Delaware). Trial attorney for TV Interactive asserting Microsoft’s Windows operating systems infringed patents related to auto-starting of software applications from media. Successfully argued and/or briefed summary judgment motions regarding Microsoft’s 35 USC 102/103, 35 USC 112, inequitable conduct and laches defenses. Other work involved numerous fact and expert depositions and discovery hearings. Case settled on eve of trial with Microsoft taking a license to TV Interactive patents.

Medtronic v. Guidant, No. 00-cv-1473 (MJD/AGL) (D. Minnesota). Represented Medtronic in declaratory judgment action involving 9 patents related to implantable atrial and ventricular pacemaker/defibrillators. Work involved briefing and arguing claim construction of 3 patents, numerous fact witness depositions, including inventors of patents-in-suit, and working with technical experts in drafting expert reports. Case settled on confidential terms.

Bar Admissions

• Minnesota
• United States District Court for the District of Minnesota
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
• U.S. Supreme Court
• United States Patent and Trademark Office

Education

• Syracuse University College of Law, J.D., magna cum laude (1996), Associate for the Syracuse Law Review
• University of Arizona, B.S., Electrical Engineering (1989)

Contact Info

MacLeod & Boebel L.L.P.
5001 Chowen Ave. S.
Suite 2000
Minneapolis, MN 55410
Direct: (612) 435-8640 beginoftheskypehighlighting              (612) 435-8640      endoftheskypehighlighting beginoftheskypehighlighting              (612) 435-8640      endoftheskypehighlighting
nam@mbmfirm.com