Over a full career, Charles Shifley has concentrated on intellectual property cases and trials. Recently, Charles and a team brought the urgent enforcement of a patent Charles gained for a construction industry client to a successful result in eight months. See Civil Action No. 4:07-cv-2099 (E.D.Mo.) Also recently, Charles and a team brought the defense of the automotive industry and the nation's largest automotive supplier to a successful, affirmed summary judgment against patent infringement. See 501 F.3d 1274. As well, Charles and a team recently brought the defense of a major building systems provider against a $200M trade secret misappropriation claim through arbitration discovery and to a successful settlement. See Civil Action 3:07CV312 (N.D.Tex.). Similarly, Charles and a team brought the defense of a major instant message provider against a $160M patent claim to a successful summary judgment and settlement. See Civil Action 04C4240 (N.D.Il.). Earlier, Charles and a trial team successfully enforced IP rights for a start up company against a multimillion-dollar defense effort. Charles also successfully defended an Internet music delivery company, successfully defended a rail supply company, and successfully ended an offensive case for a pharmaceutical software provider. Charles enjoys juries and fast-paced efforts; in a case including a jury trial, Charles and his trial team proved willful patent infringement and had a permanent injunction in place 11 months after filing suit. Earlier, a trial team under his direction won an affirmed $6M jury verdict for willful patent and copyright infringement and breach of a shrink-wrap agreement. See 302 F.3d 1334. Charles also won an affirmed multi-million dollar jury award for willful patent infringement and attorneys fees. See 9 F.Supp.2d 601, 1999 U.S. App. LEXIS 8584, and 189 F.3d 1327. Charles was also co-counsel in a trial defeating patent infringement claims, see 65 F.Supp.2d 757, and defended the judgment on appeal, 56 USPQ2d 1445. Earlier, and at a jury trial, Charles and a team of lawyers won an affirmed permanent injunction and $1M patent infringement award. See 61 USPQ2d 1152.
Charles is skilled in gaining fast relief for clients in difficult situations. Charles and teams of lawyers have gained preliminary injunctions on a once-lapsed patent, see 56 USPQ2d 1329, a just-issued patent, see 53 USPQ2d 1547, and a patent in an uncertain market, see 2006 U.S.Dist. LEXIS 4910. Earlier, Charles directed a team of lawyers for an arbitration in the digital video disk and movie industries, within 16 days of notice of arbitration. The arbitration settled, in major part because of the speed and thoroughness of the B&W preparation. Charles also gained two trademark preliminary injunctions, see 48 USPQ2d 1299 and 45 USPQ2d 1846, and an important 7th Circuit trademark decision, see 362 F3d 986. Charles has gained several other early injunctions and seized counterfeit goods within hours of filing suits.
Charles has served as lead and co-counsel in numerous successful trials and appeals for Fortune 100 and additional companies, across the country. Technical subjects have included in-building wireless systems; airbag actuation electronics; Internet delivery software; digital video disks; photochemistry; photographic software; engines, electronic components, and automotive hardware; human heart pacemakers and defibrillators; welding equipment; computerized controls; high technology valves; industrial franchise operations; high-technology metal casting and consumer goods. He has generated several large claims for damages, including one for $30 million based on $300,000 in accused sales. He has been consistently sensitive to costs and client communication.
In addition, Charles has also developed capable counseling, negotiation, settlement and patent procurement strategy skills, and prepared opinions and gained clients many valuable contracts concerning patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and franchises. He is proud to have had a client grow from startup to $25M in sales in a short time on the strength of its inventions, patents he gained, and patent enforcement suits he successfully pursued. He is also proud to have brought an individual inventor patent license royalties in excess of $1M, for a single and simpler invention.
Mr. Shifley lectures on patent litigation and related matters, and authors articles espousing critical thinking in handling intellectual property concerns. He has taught pretrial, trial and appellate advocacy at Northwestern University, Georgetown, John Marshall of Chicago, and Chicago Kent Colleges of Law, with Federal Circuit Court of Appeals Chief Judge Paul Michel among others, and taught Law for Engineering Managers at Northwestern for many years. He is currently an Adjunct Professor at Northwestern and John Marshall Law Schools, and President of the Richard Linn American Inn of Court.
Charles earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, summa cum laude, and a Juris Doctor degree, cum laude, both from The Ohio State University, in his home state.
Mr. Shifley practices in the Chicago office of Banner & Witcoff, Ltd.
