Bill Hicks focuses his practice on complex civil litigation, with particular emphasis on patent and trade secret matters, class actions, and high-stakes business disputes. He has successfully represented a range of clients in the technology sector, and was an active member of the team that achieved victory in one of the largest trade secrets cases ever tried in California. Bill has also represented clients under investigation by the Federal Trade Commission.
In his pro bono practice, Bill has first-chaired a trial resulting in the grant of asylum based on sexual orientation and has assisted in the defense of multiple federal capital cases.
As an undergraduate, Bill studied opera and classical piano at a leading conservatory, while undertaking advanced coursework in French, history, and international relations at Princeton University and the Sorbonne (Paris IV).
Prior to joining Keker, Van Nest & Peters, Bill was a law clerk on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Cases of Note
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Abbott Diabetes Care v. Dexcom
We defended Dexcom in the District of Delaware where Abbott asserted a dozen patents targeting Dexcom’s G6 continuous glucose monitoring technology. The Keker team narrowed the case to four patents…
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In re Budeprion Multidistrict Litigation
In a multi-district class action, plaintiffs challenged a drug company's product label under California's unfair competition law and Consumer Legal Remedies Act. We settled the case on extremely favorable terms…
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Broadcom Corporation v. SiRF Technology and CSR
We served as trial counsel for Broadcom, one of the world’s leading semiconductor companies, against SiRF, a GPS chip manufacturer, and its parent CSR. Broadcom asserted multiple patents covering graphics,…
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Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company v. Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation
We represented TSMC against China's then-leading semiconductor manufacturer, SMIC, in the largest trade secret misuse case tried to date. SMIC owed its very existence to technology stolen from our client….
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Biax Corp. v. Motorola Mobility et al.
We represented Motorola Mobility and third-party Broadcom in a patent case targeting a key technology underlying a wide variety of semiconductor chips. The case settled favorably after summary judgment briefing.
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NVIDIA Corporation v. Qualcomm Inc.
We represented Qualcomm in an ITC investigation in which Nvidia asserted infringement of seven patents that purportedly cover graphics processing units (GPUs). Nvidia sought to block the importation of Samsung…
News & Events
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Law360 Trials Group Of The Year: Keker, Van Nest & Peters
Keker, Van Nest & Peters partners Bob Van Nest, Sharif Jacob, Sophie Hood and Ryan Wong reflect on the firm’s biggest trial wins which earned its place among Law360’s 2024 Trials Groups of the Year.
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Victories for Instacart, Qualcomm, and the San Diego County Water Authority Earn Recognition in the Recorder’s Litigation Department of the Year Awards
The awards recognize California litigation practices that delivered exceptional results on their clients’ most critical and challenging matters.
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Samsung, Qualcomm Triumph At ITC In Nvidia Patent Fight
The ITC cleared Samsung and Qualcomm of violating a pair of Nvidia graphics patents in a case that could have barred certain Samsung products from the U.S. market, upholding an administrative law judge’s decisi…
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Samsung did not infringe Nvidia graphics chip patents: U.S. ITC
Robert Van Nest and his team score an important victory in the ITC, winning on all three patents.
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On Behalf of HTC, Keker & Van Nest Secures Deal To End Smartphone Patent Suits
As lead counsel for HTC, we helped our client reach a global settlement that includes the dismissal of all current lawsuits and a 10-year license agreement.
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Publications
“Is There a Subjective Element in the Refugee Convention’s Requirement of ‘Well-Founded Fear,’” Michigan Journal of International Law, 2005. Co-authored with Prof. James Hathaway