Hari Santhanam Partner

Hari Santhanam represents clients in complex commercial and intellectual property (IP) matters, including patent, copyright, trademark, and trade secret disputes, leveraging his strong technical background in the biological, chemical, and electrical arts.

As a seasoned trial and appellate lawyer, Hari manages all aspects and stages of litigation from pre-filing investigations through fact and expert discovery, summary judgment, trial, post-trial, and appeal. His substantial experience includes leading trial teams to successful jury verdicts and determinations, and if necessary, arguing appeals before U.S. Courts of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court. Hari frequently litigates IP disputes in federal district courts throughout the country and before the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC). He is a registered patent attorney with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and has handled numerous patent reexaminations, inter partes reviews, and other post-grant proceedings, often as part of a comprehensive litigation strategy. Applying his litigation savvy, Hari also advises clients on freedom to operate, portfolio development and management, and corporate transactions.

Hari has represented clients in matters involving a wide range of life sciences technologies, including medical and dental devices and related software, pharmaceuticals (including Hatch-Waxman actions), biologics, vaccines, crop-protection products, and protected plant varieties and breeds. He also has significant experience in the areas of vehicle camera and driver-assist systems, artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML), image processing, power tools, power electronics, semiconductor circuit design and manufacture, insurance software, internet applications, and wireless communication standards.

Hari maintains an active pro bono practice that includes criminal and immigration appeals. As part of a career-long effort, Hari has sought to develop the law supporting a criminal defendant’s right under the Sixth Amendment’s Confrontation Clause to cross-examine forensic analysts whose statements and conclusions are introduced at trial. In January 2024, Hari argued Smith v. Arizona, No. 22-899, before the U.S. Supreme Court. He also has served as lead counsel in other Confrontation Clause cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, the Alaska Supreme Court, and the Arizona Supreme Court. Hari’s immigration work includes obtaining asylum relief for a Chadian national who fled to the United States after his family members were arrested and disappeared by government forces. Hari successfully argued the asylum appeal before the Seventh Circuit, and the immigration court ultimately granted asylum on remand.