Alan Heinrich

Alan J. Heinrich is a partner at Irell & Manella LLP in Los Angeles, where his practice centers on intellectual property litigation. His patent work spans biotechnology, medical devices and high technology. He has represented both patent owners seeking damages and companies defending against infringement claims.

Computer interfaces are among the technologies involved in his cases. Heinrich represented Immersion Corporation in litigation against Sony Computer Entertainment over PlayStation products. Immersion alleged infringement of two patents concerning computer-controlled vibrotactile technology—the use of touch in interactions with computers. He also represented Avago Technologies in a dispute with PixArt Imaging over optical navigation technology used in computer mice. That case concerned PixArt’s CMOS optical mouse sensors and ended in a settlement under which PixArt agreed to a worldwide license to certain Avago intellectual property.

Outside his litigation work, Heinrich teaches at the University of California, Los Angeles as an adjunct faculty member. His course, Patent Intensive, is an advanced patent law seminar. His teaching has also included Patent Law and Federal Courts at Loyola Law School. Within Irell, he previously sat on the Executive Committee and chaired the Hiring Committee.

Heinrich was admitted to the California bar on April 18, 2001, and the State Bar lists his license as active. His firm biography also lists admission to the federal district courts for California’s Central and Northern Districts and to the Ninth and Federal Circuit courts of appeals.