April 2, 2025
Publication: Daily Journal
Kobre & Kim’s Michael Ng and Daniel Zaheer have been named in Daily Journal’s 2025 list of Top Intellectual Property Lawyers. The annual list recognizes California’s top lawyers specializing in patent litigation, trademark and copyright.
Mr. Ng and Mr. Zaheer have been globally recognized for their work as lead counsel in patent and trade secret litigation, including a recent US $604.9 million jury verdict in California on behalf of client Propel Fuels. “Our client opened a new market for renewable diesel in 2004,” Mr. Ng told Daily Journal. “After 13 years working on a potential deal, Phillips terminated negotiations on a Friday and on Monday told regulators they wanted to launch a renewable diesel.” When Propel sued Phillips 66, “[Phillips 66] said they already knew how to do this and anyway, ours is different,” Mr. Ng explained. “The reality is that they hadn’t done it before. Nobody had. We showed the jury exactly that, and they deliberated less than two days.”
“With IP law, you see disputes at the cutting edge of the economy and technology,” Mr. Zaheer shared. “You see where the world is going and Propel is very much an example of that: a solution to climate change by a small company involved in M&A negotiations as the other side seeks access to the technology.”