In an expansion of the firm's national leadership in technology litigation, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP welcomes Alexander Hadjis, a highly experienced, first-chair, patent trial attorney and litigator. He joins as a partner in DWT's Washington, D.C., office.
Hadjis brings to the firm more than two decades of experience handling complex, high-stakes disputes before federal courts and the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC). As lead counsel, he has tried more than a dozen large, high-exposure cases on behalf of market-leading technology companies. He's also led and litigated many more, including before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, where he served as a Judicial Law Clerk.
"Alex's top-tier, tech-focused, patent litigation expertise significantly deepens the support we can provide our clients, who include many of the world's leading technology companies," said Alexandra Nicholson, national chair of the media, entertainment, patent, trademark, and advertising group at DWT. "IP is the lifeblood of so many our clients, across multiple industries, and with Alex's rare expertise, we will be able to further advance their success."
Hadjis, who has a degree in electrical engineering, has successfully tried and litigated cases for companies such as Cypress Semiconductor, Freescale, Genesis Microchip, Huawei, Intel, Roku, Spansion, and Thomson Consumer Electronics. The cases that he has handled cover a wide range of technologies. Among them: semiconductors, liquid crystal displays, telecommunications, medical devices, optical storage media, software, biotechnology, small molecules, biologics, electronic systems, computer networks, fluid dynamics and heat exchange, xerography, chemicals, and automotive components. He also has particular expertise litigating cases involving technology standards and those involving the interface between intellectual property and antitrust law.
Over the course of his legal career, Hadjis has risen to leadership roles at a number of prominent firms. These include serving as co-chair of the patent litigation and intellectual property practice groups, and chair of the ITC practice group, at Morrison & Foerster LLP, and chair of the technology industry practice group at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP. He was most recently co-chair of the ITC practice group at Jenner & Block LLP.
"Alex is a very successful builder and collaborator," said Brian Hurh, DWT's Washington, D.C., partner-in-charge. "We're excited to draw on his exceptional skills as a teacher, strategist, team leader, and mentor as we continue to grow the size and sophistication of our practices."
"Groups across our firm will be enhanced by Alex's arrival," said Nicholson. "His ITC practice provides a new capability for us. His experience with trade secret and trademark disputes will add to our national expertise in those areas. And he will help us leverage the growing strength of our 40+-person patent prosecution department, which serves many of the world's preeminent innovators."
"Anyone following the tech litigation field knows that DWT has been handling some of the highest-profile, cutting-edge matters, particularly those implicating free speech issues," said Hadjis. "The firm is ascendent in multiple areas, with a clear strategic vision and a strong road map for achieving its goals. I'm extremely pleased to join this group of collaborative, market-leading attorneys."
Hadjis earned his B.S.E.E. from The Ohio State University, his J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, and his Master of Laws in Intellectual Property from The George Washington University Law School.
He has been recognized for excellence in patent litigation by organizations including Chambers USA, Chambers Global, Best Lawyers, the Legal 500, IAM Patent 1000, and Super Lawyers. In 2021, he earned a Law360 MVP award for his successful defense of Roku in the first patent infringement suit to go before a jury in the Western District of Texas after Judge Albright took the bench in Waco. Hadjis is also a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.