Overview
Leigh Taggart is a partner and an intellectual property litigation attorney with almost 30 years of experience. He litigates patent, trademark, copyright, antitrust, and trade secret matters throughout the U.S. in federal trial and appellate courts and before the International Trade Commission. He also has extensive experience in international intellectual property and contract cases.
- Aids clients in avoiding and resolving complex commercial disputes involving contract, antitrust, and intellectual property issues
- Served as General Counsel and Secretary for the manufacturer of Rainbow® Cleaning Systems distributed in more than 70 countries
Services
Practice Areas
Industries
Experience
Representative Matters
- Advised C-level executives on mixed business and legal issues, often involving $25 to $250 million in risk exposure or revenue potential
- Tried patent, trademark, trade dress and copyright cases in U.S. District Courts and the International Trade Commission
- Resolved intellectual property and commercial disputes ranging from $5 million to several hundred million dollars in controversy
- Worked in varied technologies including, automotive, cataract surgical instruments, intraocular lenses, spinal fixation devices, jet engines, executive business jet aircraft components, pharmaceuticals, nanotechnology, wireless networks, heavy-duty diesel engines
- Ran five patent countersuit after previous counsel lost $240 million judgment, settling all claims for $110 million plus substantial cross-licensing gains
- Resolved $1 billion dollar patent claim without litigation using private dispute resolution process established between parties
- Argued a trademark case involving millions of dollars in alleged damages before the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, winning remand for trial
- Argued a case presenting a patent law issue of first impression before the United States Federal Circuit Court of Appeals
- Served as General Counsel and Secretary for Rexair, LLC, manufacturer of Rainbow® Cleaning Systems:
- Contracted with independent distributors in over 60 countries and enforcing valuable trademark rights licensed in distribution agreements
- Negotiated solution to complicated dispute with European customer/distributor, resolving protracted litigation in the U.S. and the United Kingdom, while retaining customer/distributor on favorable terms
- Litigated and supervised trademark, unfair competition and distributor disputes in Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Italy, Lebanon, Mexico, Portugal, Turkey, United Kingdom and the U.S.
- Traveled and worked extensively throughout European and Asian markets to solve mixed business and legal issues
- Conducted and supervised various internal investigations and compliance audits
Prior Experience
- Rader, Fishman & Grauer, PLLC, Bloomfield Hills, MI, Partner, 2005-2013
- Rexair LLC, Troy, MI, General Counsel and Secretary, 1998-2004; Assistant Counsel, 1995-1998
- Shaw and Currey, Ithaca, NY, Associate, 1993-1995
- Drummond Woodsum Plimpton & MacMahon, Portland, ME, Associate, 1990-1993
Academic Appointments
- Cornell Law School, Federal Litigation Seminar, Guest Lecturer, March 1998
Credentials
Education
Cornell University Law School, J.D.
- with honors; American Jurisprudence Awards in Trial Advocacy and Legal Ethics
Haverford College, B.A.
- Philosophy
Admissions
- Michigan
- New York
Recognition
Awards
- World Trademark Review 1000 – the World’s Leading Trademark Professionals, 2021 - 2024
- World Trademark Review 1000 states:
- 2024 - "Sporting a wealth of experience is IP and business litigator [Leigh Taggart], who represents high-profile names, including automotive manufacturers Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd in an ongoing dispute of alleged trade dress and trademark infringement.
- 2023 - "[Taggart] skillfully navigates complex cases, completes his work with the highest level of integrity and demonstrates an exceptional mastery of his craft. He presents novel and persuasive arguments."
- 2022 - "[Taggart] is terrific in all respects – witness preparation, brief writing, cross-examinations etc; you can be confident he is the best-prepared person in the courtroom. He seeks guidance from others at Honigman as appropriate and succinctly summarises advice to support his clients’ decision making."
- 2021 - "[Leigh Taggart is] a polished advocate who has proven his mettle in a wide array of IP disputes, not just those centered on trademarks. He is currently handling significant litigation on behalf of Mahindra & Mahindra against Fiat Chrysler involving the assertion of registered trademarks and unregistered trade dress with ITC and Eastern District of Michigan components, providing that while Honigman may be best known for its prosecution and associated work, it is more than capable of taking on the weightiest cases."
- World Trademark Review 1000 states:
- IAM Patent 1000: The World’s Leading Patent Professionals, Recognized as one of the World’s Leading Patent Practitioners, 2022-2023
- The Best Lawyers in America
- Recognized in practice areas of:
- Litigation - Intellectual Property, 2017-2024
- Patent Law, 2018-2024
- Troy Litigation - Intellectual Property Lawyer of the Year 2017-2024
- Recognized in practice areas of:
- DBusiness, Top Lawyers, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021
- Managing Intellectual Property IP STARS, 2014-2022
- Recognized as a Patent Star and Trademark Star
- Michigan Super Lawyers, 2006
- Law Bulletin Media
- Leading Lawyers, Copyright & Trademark Law, 2023
- Leading Lawyers, Intellectual Property Law, 2023
- Leading Lawyers, Patent Law, 2023
Professional & Community Involvement
- State Bar of Michigan
- New York State Bar Association
- American Intellectual Property Lawyers Association (AIPLA)
- Michigan Intellectual Property Lawyers Association (MIPLA)
- Federal Circuit Bar Association
- Michigan Intellectual Property American Inn of Court, Master Member
- Michigan State Bar Foundation, Patron Fellow
- Federal Bar Association, Eastern District of Michigan
- Intellectual Property Committee, Co-chair, 2010-2016
- Direct Selling Association
- Lawyer’s Council and Government Relations Committee, 1997-2004
- Clinton River Watershed Council
- Volunteer of the Year Award, 2001
News & Insights
News
Press Releases
Events
- Frequent invited speaker on intellectual property and litigation topics, including trade secrets, trademark litigation and e-Discovery
Alerts
Publications
Recognized by World Trademark Review 1000:
"[Taggart] is terrific in all respects – witness preparation, brief writing, cross-examinations etc; you can be confident he is the best-prepared person in the courtroom. He seeks guidance from others at Honigman as appropriate and succinctly summarises advice to support his clients’ decision making."
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