Chris began his career as a software engineer, designing, implementing and installing complex process control systems. He has practiced law for over 20 years, with an emphasis on intellectual property, business law and litigation for high-tech businesses.
His background includes representing client entities from small to large in a wide variety of industries on intellectual property cases and other matters. He has extensive experience with patent and trademark infringement, theft of trade secrets actions, intellectual property portfolio valuation, counseling clients in maximizing their intellectual property, licensing agreements, purchase agreements and technology transfer agreements. Chris has special expertise in computer hardware and software, telephony, medical devices, oil and gas, and pharmaceuticals.
Engineer, Law Firm Founder, Business Expert
Chris received a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University before earning his Doctor of Law (JD) degree from South Texas College of Law Houston. He went on to practice in the intellectual property and commercial litigation groups of McKool Smith, PC in Dallas and the patent litigation group in the New York City office of Fitzpatrick Cella, Harper & Scinto (merged with Venable LLP).
Before joining Martensen IP, Chris founded and managed a successful law firm, Limpus + Limpus, specializing in intellectual property, business law, employment law and litigation. In addition to handling IP matters, he counseled clients on general business transactions and legal issues related to their businesses, as well as directors and officers liability insurance and leases for natural resources.
When not practicing law, Chris can likely be found coaching or playing ice hockey. He coaches and helps manage the local high school hockey teams and the local Lady RoughRiders girls hockey club. Chris has also been a head coach for the past seven years for the Lafayette (CO) Locomotive youth hockey club, coaching kids ages 6 to 15.
Bar Admissions
- State Courts of New York
- State Courts of Texas
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
- U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York
- U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Eastern, Southern and Western Districts of Texas
Representative Cases
Jump Rope Systems v. Rogue Fitness. Represent Jump Rope Systems in patent infringement lawsuit against Rogue Fitness related to fitness equipment with pivoting-eye technology.
Judson v. Walgreens, et al. Represent employee in sex discrimination and retaliation lawsuit against Walgreens.
Ergo Baby Carrier v. LILLEbaby. Represented LILLEbaby in defense of a patent infringement lawsuit related to child carrier products. Secured a favorable settlement for the client.
Bluff Creek Production, et al. v. Green Bank, NA, et al. Represented Bluff Creek Production in civil litigation matter related to Green Bank’s fraudulent representation, fraudulent inducement, promissory estoppel, and tortious interference with prospective business relations. Secured a favorable settlement for the client before trial.
In the Matter of Certain Jump Rope Systems. Represented Jump Rope Systems in US International Trade Commission Investigation against Chinese company Suzhou Everise Fitness Co., Ltd. related to sale and importation of unauthorized athletic products with patented pivoting-eye technology. Secured a limited exclusion order for the client.
Jump Rope Systems v. Smith Ventures and SPRI Products. Represented Jump Rope Systems in patent infringement and conversion lawsuit against Smith Ventures and SPRI related to the RAGE Fitness and SPRI lines of athletic products with pivoting-eye technology. Secured favorable settlements for the client before trial.
Paris Presents v. Lifestyle Products. Represented Paris Presents in patent infringement lawsuit against Lifestyle Products related to cosmetic brush handle designs. Secured a favorable settlement for the client before trial.
VirnetX Inc. v. Apple. Represented VirnetX in a lawsuit regarding Apple’s infringement of VirnetX’s virtual private network patents through Apple’s Facetime, iMessage, and VPN On Demand features. Secured a $368 million jury award against Apple for patent infringement.
VirnetX Inc. v. Mitel, et al. Represented VirnetX in a matter against Mitel, Siemens, and Avaya regarding security technology for IP phones and other IP related communications. Secured favorable settlements for the client before trial.
IN RE: Oil Spill by the Oil Rig Deepwater Horizon. Represented Halliburton and Sperry Sun, with focus on the development of expert and technical matters, in the MDL litigation related to the Macondo Well/Deepwater Horizon blowout.
Wyeth and Cordis Corp. v. Medtronic, Inc., et al. Represented Medtronic in defense of a patent infringement lawsuit related to drug-eluting stent technology used to treat restenosis, a re-narrowing of an artery following an angioplasty procedure. The Federal Circuit affirmed a finding of invalidity of the patents-in-suit.
MOSAID Technology v. Intel, Qualcomm, Atheros, Ralink and Marvell. Represented MOSAID in a patent infringement lawsuit involving 802.11 compliant Wi-Fi devices. Secured favorable settlements for the client before trial.
2 Scoops Shoes v. Kellogg Company, Inc. Represented 2 Scoops Shoes related to a Letter of Protest filed against its trademark application involving the company’s primary mark. Secured a favorable settlement for the client.
Garst, et al. v. CenturyTel, Inc., et al. Represented CenturyTel in a shareholder suit regarding CenturyTel’s acquisition of Embarq Corp. The case settled favorably for the client before trial.
Visto Corp. v. Research in Motion. Represented Visto against RIM in a patent infringement litigation involving push email technology. After Visto’s patents were confirmed in a reexamination proceeding, RIM settled with Visto prior to the start of the trial.
Linex Technologies, Inc. v. Cisco Systems, et al. Represented Cisco in defense of a patent infringement lawsuit related to spread-spectrum signal technology used in wireless WiFi networks. The case settled favorably for the client before trial.
William Reid, et al. v. Halliburton Co., et al. Represented Halliburton in defense of a patent litigation lawsuit involving technology related to the management of network security systems. Obtained a summary judgment on all issues for the client.
Pfizer, Inc. v. Teva Pharm. USA, Inc. Represented Pfizer in a Hatch-Waxman Act patent litigation lawsuit related to an ACE inhibitor compound (Accupril®) used to treat high blood pressure and heart failures. Secured the first preliminary injunction enjoining further sales of a generic product that had already entered the market.
Altana Pharma AG and Wyeth v. Teva Pharm. USA, Inc. and Sun Pharm. Indust. Ltd. Represented Altana and Wyeth in a Hatch-Waxman Act patent litigation lawsuit related to the compound pantoprazole sodium (Protonix®) used to treat erosive esophagitis, damage to the esophagus from stomach acid. Secured a $2.15 billion settlement for the client after “at risk” launch by defendants.
Pfizer, Inc. v. Apotex Corp., Teva Pharm. USA, Inc., Purepac, Eon Labs Mfg., et al. Represented Pfizer in a Hatch-Waxman Act patent litigation lawsuit related to the compound gabapentin (Neurontin®) used to treat seizure, nerve pain and shingles.
