Silicon Valley
San Francisco
William (Bill) Gaede is known as one of the foremost intellectual property litigators for the life sciences and medical device industries. He serves as lead counsel for a wide range of companies and research institutes and has extensive experience in litigating life science technologies such as antibodies, proteins, small molecules, and diagnostics.
Results
- Defeated Sanofi’s and Regeneron’s efforts to declare Amgen’s patents, covering a new class of cholesterol lowering anti-PCSK9 antibodies, invalid in this closely watched competitor case; secured a sweeping jury verdict after a one-week jury trial (Amgen Inc. v. Sanofi, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, et al.)
- Represented Depomed in protecting its flagship pharmaceutical product Gralise® in Hatch-Waxman litigation initiated by six generic drug companies, five of which withdrew their attempt to market a generic drug of Gralise® or settled on terms that secured the market until January 1, 2024; Depomed and remaining entity, Actavis, went to trial, where a sweeping victory was secured for Depomed, finding infringement on all patents and upholding the validity on all asserted patents (Depomed v. Actavis, et al.)
Recognitions
- Legal 500 US, Intellectual Property: Patents: Litigation and Intellectual Property: Trademarks: Non-Contentious, 2021-2025
- Daily Journal, Top Intellectual Property Lawyer, 2016, 2024, 2026
- Intellectual Asset Management (IAM) Strategy 300, Global Leaders Guide, 2025
- LMG Life Sciences, General Patent Litigator of the Year – California, 2023
- LMG Life Sciences, Leading Life Sciences Lawyer, 2021-2022
- IAM Patent 1000 – The World’s Leading Patent Practitioners, 2013-2025
- Best Lawyers in America, Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice (2007-2026), Litigation – Intellectual Property (2011-2026), Litigation – Patent (2011-2026), Patent Law, 2011-2026
- Best Lawyers in America, Lawyer of the Year: Biotechnology Law (2017 and 2024), Patent Law ,2019
Capabilities and Industries
Marchés Régionaux
Community
- Association of Business Trial Lawyers
- San Francisco Bar Association
Credentials
Education
- University of California College of the Law, San Francisco, JD, cum laude
- Pitzer College, BA
Admissions
- California
Courts / Agencies
- US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- US District Court for the Northern District of California
- US District Court for the Southern District of California
- US District Court for the Eastern District of California
- US District Court for the Central District of California
- US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
William Gaede’s
Insights, News & Events
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