Lara S. Garner is a Partner in the Intellectual Property practice group. Her practice emphasizes business and IP litigation and client counseling. She represents and advises businesses, from technology startups to well-established multi-national corporations, in a broad range of matters including contract and privacy issues, all aspects of intellectual property: patents, copyrights, trade secrets, and trademarks; and commercial litigation.

Lara is a trial attorney, experienced in all phases of litigation in state and federal court as well as in post-grant proceedings at the USPTO. She works with her clients to develop strategies to maximize the value of their intellectual property through acquisition and licensing in addition to enforcement.

In her practice, Lara has handled matters involving diverse technologies including hardware and software, from e-commerce to audio and video compression to graphical user interfaces, encryption, authentication, search and database among other technologies, as well as medical and mechanical devices. Lara has previous technical experience with Electro Scientific Industries, Inc., and Dynamotion Corporation.

  • Obtained favorable settlement for smartphone manufacturer in patent infringement case involving camera technology
  • Obtained favorable settlement for business applications service provider of arbitration involving ERP system
  • Obtained walk-away stipulation of dismissal of patent infringement case related to ticket scanning technology
  • Defended clothing wholesalers and retailers against copyright infringement claims directed to textile design
  • Successfully represented marketing technology products company in suits filed in the Southern District of New York and the Eastern District of Texas, and post-grant patent proceedings at the USPTO concerning online advertising software patent, copyright and Digital Millennium Copyright Act claims
  • Obtained favorable settlement for patentee in patent infringement case involving medical devices after successful claim construction argument
  • Defended custom printing  company against copyright infringement claims directed to business forms
  • Obtained favorable settlement of patent infringement claims against manufacturer of electrophoresis systems
  • Obtained complete defense verdict for smartphone companies in a three-patent trial related to H.264 video compression
  • Successfully represented inventor in appeal of inter partes review proceedings – IPR win for patent owner affirmed on appeal
  • Counsel for Taiwanese golf ball manufacturer in patent litigation brought by one of its largest competitors
  • Represented defendant in case relating to automated web browsing tools

  • Intellectual Property: What It Is and How to Protect It, Military Entrepreneur Women's Symposium

Admissions

  • California
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas

Community Involvement

  • University of San Diego Law School, Adjunct Professor
  • Federal Bar Association
  • Barrister in the J. Clifford Wallace Inn of Court
  • Athena San Diego
  • Forums For Executive Women (FEW), 1:1 Mentoring Program
  • Pinnacle Scholarship Selection Committee
  • Western Center on Law and Poverty, Board Member

Education

  • J.D., Harvard Law School
    • Journal of Law and Technology
  • B.A., with highest distinction, University of California, Berkeley
    • Departmental Citation, Phi Beta Kappa

Honors

  • Best Lawyers in America® distinction in Litigation – Intellectual Property (2020-2025)
  • Tribute to Women & Industry (TWIN) Award
  • Super Lawyers® Pro Bono Award Nominee
  • San Diego Transcript Young Attorney Award
  • Western Center on Law and Poverty Fair Shake Award