Christopher Neumeyer

For more than two decades, Chris Neumeyer has provided local and international companies with legal services regarding commercial and corporate transactions and disputes. Starting in 1990, Mr. Neumeyer worked as a trial lawyer in California. Since 2000, he has lived in Taiwan, working inside multi-billion dollar global companies, negotiating agreements, overseeing complex litigation, leading mergers and acquisitions and helping clients to achieve their business objectives.

Mr. Neumeyer negotiates and drafts agreements concerning the development, manufacture and sale of technology products with companies such as Apple, Avago, Cree, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Hon Hai, Lenovo, Motorola, Nokia and Samsung. He routinely negotiates patent licensing agreements; resolves claims regarding defects, delays, infringement, misappropriation and other matters, through negotiation, mediation and litigation in Asia, Europe and the Americas; and has led almost US$1 billion in corporate transactions. Working closely with cross-functional business teams and collaborating with local counsel, he consistently produces exceptional, cost-saving outcomes.

Mr. Neumeyer's work regularly involves intellectual property rights and technology, including LEDs, semiconductor chips, computers, monitors, power supplies, internet access devices, cell phones and camera modules. He has handled well over one-hundred licensing disputes, promptly disposing of meritless claims, and resolving others through litigation and administrative proceedings. He also advises and assists with respect to trademarks, trade secrets and copyrights.

Aside from his sound legal skills, what sets Mr. Neumeyer apart are his smooth cross-cultural abilities, familiarity with business considerations, and recognition that the client’s goal is almost always to achieve business objectives, without getting bogged down in legal procedures. Mr. Neumeyer has a record of delivering results.

Experience

Intellectual Property

Patent License Negotiation. Led patent license negotiations with US company, formulating strategy, leading communications, negotiating and drafting agreement for over $20 million.
Patent License Negotiation. Led patent license negotiations with Japanese company, including successful mediation in California and drafting agreement for over $20 million.
Patent License Negotiation. Led patent license negotiations with German company, including successful negotiation in Germany and drafting agreement for over $20 million.
ITC Investigation. Led defense of International Trade Commission (ITC) Section 337 enforcement action, involving LEDs, including forming joint defense team with other respondents, then negotiating settlement and drafting agreement.
U.S. Patent Litigation. Led prosecution and defense of multiple U.S. District Court lawsuits involving patent infringement allegations concerning monitors, keyboards, Wi-Fi devices, USB drives, camera modules, MP3 players and other devices.
Patent Licensing Demands. Led defense of more than 100 patent licensing and indemnification demands, working closely with engineers, business units and top management, resolving almost all cases without the need to settle or license.

Disputes & Litigation

First-Hand Trial Experience. Performed all phases of civil litigation in California for ten years, including pleadings, discovery, motions, and serving as lead or sole counsel on multiple trials and appeals.
Multi-National Contract Dispute. Lead counsel formulating strategy and managing four inter-related state and federal lawsuits in the U.S. and Taiwan concerning a license agreement dispute involving over US$5 million.
Joint Venture Dispute. Led successful prosecution of claim alleging corporate malfeasance by Japanese company, resolved through litigation in Hong Kong.
Bankruptcy Disputes. Led successful defense of several lawsuits filed by U.S. and European bankruptcy trustees seeking to recover millions of dollars in allegedly preferential payments.
Misappropriation Dispute. Lead counsel formulating strategy and managing lawsuit in Canada for misappropriation, directly negotiating settlement for more than $2,000,000.
Defective Product Disputes. Led comprehensive response to numerous multi-million dollar, defective-product claims in the U.S., Europe and Asia, leading cross-functional teams with respect to recalls, repairs, replacements, root cause analysis, litigation and negotiation of settlements.
Accounts Receivable Disputes. Prosecuted, defended and settled numerous multi-million dollar claims and counter-claims in the U.S., Europe and Asia.

Mergers, Acquisitions & Investments

Acquisition of Listed Company. Led acquisition of Finnish company for US$277 million, including retaining local counsel, performing site visits, due diligence, anti-trust clearance, definitive agreements, public tender offer, minority buy-out, delisting, and issues relating to board, management, personnel and business transitions.
Acquisition of Business Unit. Led acquisition of Singapore business unit, including site visits, due diligence, anti-trust clearance, definitive agreements, business transfers and resolution of post-closing disputes.
Sale of Business Unit. Led divestiture of business unit for US$300 million, including retaining local counsel, performing due diligence, anti-trust clearance, definitive agreements, business transfers and resolution of post-closing disputes.
Solar Power Projects. Lead counsel on the development, operation and sale of several highly-complex solar power projects in Europe, Asia and the U.S., including two 10Mwp projects in Italy and a 1.2Mwp project on the roof of a football stadium in Germany.
Other Acquisitions and Investments. Lead counsel on various multi-million dollar projects in the U.S., Europe and Asia with companies doing business in batteries, antennas, LEDs, LCD panels, loudspeakers, video conferencing, motion sensors, solar tracking devices and other technologies.

Bar Admissions

State of California
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
Taiwan, as a registered Attorney of Foreign Legal Affairs

Publications and Presentations

Trainer, "Negotiating Commercial Contracts" training course, Bangkok, September 27-28.
Chairman and Presenter, IP Law Asia Summit, Marina Bay Sands Hotel, Singapore, May 2012.
Panelist, Asia IP Exchange Counsel seminar, Sheraton Hotel, Hsinchu, Taiwan, September 2011.
"Defending Patents Abroad,” California Lawyer, Feb 2011.
“Best Practices for Responding to Licensing Demands,” Grand Hyatt, Taipei, Taiwan, April 2010.
"Responding to Patent Licensing Demands," ACC Docket, October 2009.
"Taiwan’s Pension System Makes Giant Strides," Asian Counsel, April 2005.
“Taiwan’s Government Struggles to Privatize,"" International Law Office, November 2004.
“FTC Rejects Do-Not-Spam Registry,” Journal of Internet Law, November 2004.
“Encouraging Foreign Investment in Taiwan,” Ministry of Economic Affairs seminar, August 2004.
"Establishing an IP Protection Program in Taiwan," Asian IP, October 2003.
“Amendments to Law on Hackers, Viruses and Spam,” International Law Office, September 2003.
“Taiwan Passes Copyright Law Amendment,” International Law Office, August 2003.
"Made in Taiwan," Patent World, May 2003.
“Privatization of ChungHwa Telecom Moves Slowly,” International Law Office, April 2003.
“Reform of National Regulatory Authority Proposed,” International Law Office, March 2003.
“Taiwan Introduces Broadcasting Reforms,” International Law Office, February 2003.
"Confusing Similarity in a Multilingual Market," Trademark World, February 2002.
"Fighting MP3 Piracy in Taiwan," International Technology Law Review, September 2001.
"Optical Media Piracy in Taiwan," World IP Report, July 2001