Mr. Blank’s practice focuses on patent litigation. His experience includes litigating patent cases involving liquid crystal displays, silicon crystals, optical components, high-speed data communications cables, MP3 players, video game systems and controllers, Web analytics, computer-aided detection for digital and film-based mammography, Internet ad serving, and Internet browsers. He has been lead counsel in numerous patent litigations and, as such, has first chaired or co-first chaired Markman hearings, trials and arbitrations.
Mr. Blank’s pro bono work has included obtaining the release from Texas death row and exoneration of Ernest Willis in October 2004 in federal habeas corpus proceedings – at the time, only the seventh prisoner released from Texas death row since the death penalty was reinstituted in Texas in 1976. The decision, Willis v. Cockrell, is reported at 2004 WL 1812698 (W.D. Tex. 2004). As lead counsel on this matter, Mr. Blank first chaired two weeks of evidentiary hearings in Texas state court on Mr. Willis’ state habeas corpus petition. Mr. Blank’s decade-long work as lead counsel on this matter has been featured in numerous publications and broadcast reports including ABC News’ Nightline, the January 2005 edition of The American Lawyer, and the September 7, 2009 edition of The New Yorker. For this representation, the Association of the Bar of the City of New York awarded Mr. Blank the Thurgood Marshall Award.
