Sonal N. Mehta
Partner
- Partner-in-Charge, Palo Alto Office
- Vice Chair, Litigation/Controversy Department
Sonal N. Mehta is a trial lawyer representing many of the world’s leading technology and life sciences companies in high-stakes patent and technology disputes across a wide range of industries. Ms. Mehta has nearly 20 years of experience across all aspects of trial and appellate practice, including federal jury trials, state court jury and bench trials, International Trade Commission investigations, international arbitrations, and appeals to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the California appellate courts.
Outside of the courtroom, Ms. Mehta is an Executive Committee and Board member—and past president—of the Federal Circuit Bar Association, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Northern District of California’s Practice Program and on the Northern District of California’s Patent Local Rules Attorney Advisory Committee. In 2019, she was selected for a three-year term as a lawyer representative to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Council. Ms. Mehta regularly presents programs on patent litigation at Federal Judicial Center workshops for federal district and magistrate judges, and is a frequent speaker on patent litigation topics.
Ms. Mehta has a special interest in training and mentoring the next generation of trial lawyers. Since 2011, Ms. Mehta has taught Patent Litigation at her alma mater UC Berkeley School of Law. She regularly serves as guest faculty for the Stanford Trial Advocacy Clinic and for litigation practice courses at Berkeley School of Law.
Prior to joining WilmerHale, Ms. Mehta was a partner at another large international law firm, where she built her practice representing major technology sector companies in high-stakes patent litigation at the trial and appellate levels. She then joined a litigation boutique firm based in San Francisco, where she continued to serve as lead counsel for leading technology and life sciences clients in patent and commercial litigation matters.
Recognition
-
Leading Lawyer for Intellectual Property: Patents
Chambers USA
2016–2023
-
IP Star & Among the Top 250 Women in IP
Managing IP
2016–2023
-
Top 10 Women in Litigation
Benchmark Litigation
2021–2022
- Regularly recognized by Chambers USA Guide in California and nationwide for intellectual property: patents, with sources saying that “she is an excellent advocate with strong judgment and she really thinks critically about what issues to push”; “she is a superstar—well known in the California area and extremely nimble in oral argument”; “is well regarded for her skill handling a range of IP litigation matters, with notable expertise on patent infringement disputes”; and “has considerable experience representing market-leading technology companies.”
- Recognized in the 2023 and 2024 edition of Chambers Global in the category of intellectual property: patents.
- Named to the Daily Journal's inaugural list of Leading Commercial Litigators (2023-2024) and recognized as a Top Intellectual Property Lawyer (2022–2023).
- Named to Benchmark Litigation’s elite Top 10 Women in Litigation list in 2021 and 2022.
- Selected as San Francisco Attorney of the Year across practice areas and named the California Intellectual Property Litigator of the Year in 2021. In 2020, she was shortlisted for California – Intellectual Property Litigation Attorney of the Year. She was also recognized by Benchmark Litigation as a Benchmark Top 250 Women in Litigation in 2020–2023, a 2024 "Litigation Star", a 2018 Future Star, and included on its Under 40 Hotlist in 2016–2021.
- Named an IP Star and was listed among the Top 250 Women in IP globally by Managing IP in 2016–2023.
- Selected as a Daily Journal Top IP Lawyer in California (2017 and 2022) and as a Top Woman Lawyer (2020); named to its Top 40 Under 40 list (2016).
- Named San Jose Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers in America for patent litigation (2020, 2022 and 2024), patent law (2020 and 2024) and intellectual property litigation (2023–2024); recognized as a leading practitioner in the areas of intellectual property litigation (2017–2023), patent litigation (2016–2023) and patent law (2020–2023).
- Listed among the 2015, 2016 and 2022 Women Leaders in Tech Law and a 2012 “Fast Track” Lawyer in California by The Recorder.
- Recognized by IAM Patent 1000 in 2013–2023 with sources commenting “Sonal is simply awesome. She knows the fine detail of patent law, but sees the bigger picture and – highly respected by district court and Federal Circuit judges – is very skilled on her feet as a litigator” and that she is “the complete package.”
- Named a Rising Star for intellectual property in 2015 by Law360.
- Regularly recognized by The Legal 500 United States for patent litigation: full coverage.
- Named to the 40 Under 40 list in 2012 by San Francisco Business Times and Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal.
- Recognized in the 2013–2023 editions of Northern California Super Lawyers.
- Named to the Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America list.
Insights & News
Credentials
-
Education
-
JD, University of California, Berkeley School of Law, 2002
Editor-in-Chief, Berkeley Technology Law Journal
Certificate in Law and Technology
-
BA, Political Science, University of California, Berkeley, 1998
With honors
-
-
Admissions
-
California
-
US District Court for the Northern District of California
-
US District Court for the Southern District of California
-
US District Court for the Central District of California
-
US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
-
US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
-
US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
-
-
Clerkships
-
The Hon. Paul R. Michel, US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, 2003 - 2004
-
Credentials
-
Education
-
JD, University of California, Berkeley School of Law, 2002
Editor-in-Chief, Berkeley Technology Law Journal
Certificate in Law and Technology
-
BA, Political Science, University of California, Berkeley, 1998
With honors
-
-
Admissions
-
California
-
US District Court for the Northern District of California
-
US District Court for the Southern District of California
-
US District Court for the Central District of California
-
US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
-
US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
-
US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
-
-
Clerkships
-
The Hon. Paul R. Michel, US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, 2003 - 2004
-