Notable Successes

Karim Z. Oussayef

Law360 has recognized Desmarais LLP Partner Karim Oussayef as a 2019 Rising Star for his role in the firm’s $82.5 million jury trial win for IBM against Groupon and for securing a $57 million post-trial settlement to end the case.
 
Oussayef played a key part in litigating and resolving the high-profile lawsuit. At trial, he questioned IBM’s technical expert witness for five-plus hours to show how IBM’s patents were infringed, and he cross-examined half of Groupon’s witnesses.
 
In an interview with Law360, Oussayef said his computer science background has been valuable when handling patent cases, such as the IBM trial, because it provides him with a critical knowledge base that enables him to communicate complex tech concepts effectively.
 
“There's a high demand for folks who can understand legal principals and also break down technological principles in a way that makes it simple for someone who may not be familiar with the technology but without losing the complexity necessary to address whatever issue you're arguing,” Oussayef told Law360.
 
Additionally, Oussayef detailed how he stays current on the latest tech developments and trends, which is important as he develops strategies for litigating patent cases.
 
“I think there's a lot of different ways to do it, but the biggest way is to be open to learning about new technology and I think that's why a lot of people in our field have hard science backgrounds,” Oussayef told Law360. “It's not so much that you need to remember what you learned in the past; it's more that you're not afraid to get your hands dirty by digging into complex issues.”

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Karim Z. Oussayef