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Watson, Scott L.

Scott L. Watson

Partner

scottwatson@quinnemanuel.com
Direct Tel: +1 213-443-3203
Los Angeles
Tel: +1 213 443 3000 Fax: +1 213 443 3100

Scott has litigated some of the largest intellectual property disputes in history, including multiple suits between Qualcomm and Apple, the smartphone wars between Android manufacturers and Apple, and a long-running dispute between Mattel and a competitor over the “Bratz” doll.  He has also litigated virtually every kind of business dispute, including trade secret cases, tort claims, securities and corporate fraud claims, antitrust actions and large contractual disputes.  Scott’s extensive experience in the most complex cases resulted in him being named one of the top 500 US Litigators by LawDragon.

Scott was trial counsel for an independent oil company in a suit against a major oil company.  After a three month trial, the jury awarded our client $73 million plus interest, resulting in a judgment of $120 million.  The jury also rejected the counterclaims against our client in their entirety. Following that win Scott was named to the Law Dragon 500 Leading Energy Lawyers.

As part of a global IP licensing dispute, Scott was trial counsel for Qualcomm in a patent case against Apple that resulted in the jury finding all of Qualcomm’s patents valid and infringed and an award of the full amount of damages.

Among other accolades, Scott was named a Law360 Rising Star, which recognizes attorneys under 40 who have demonstrated outstanding career accomplishments.  Scott was one of just 9 attorneys in the nation who were named a 2015 Rising Star in intellectual property law.  He was also honored in The National Law Journal's Appellate Hot List following a victory in the Federal Circuit.

Scott was the architect of the causation and damages strategy in Apple’s suit against Samsung that resulted in a jury award of less than 5.5% of Apple’s requested $2.2 billion damages.

  • Qualcomm
  • Samsung
  • Ares Capital
  • Bristow Group
  • Gogo Business Aviation
  • Hitachi Global Storage Technologies
  • Gateway
  • Lincoln Property Company
  • Mattel
  • IBM
  • Trial counsel for TRC, an independent oil company in a negligence and trespass action in California Superior Court in Bakersfield.  The jury awarded TRC $120 million in damages and prejudgment interest, and rejected all of defendant’s counterclaims.
  • Trial counsel for Qualcomm in a patent trial in the Southern District of California against Apple.  Qualcomm prevailed on all three asserted patents and received an award of the full damages it sought.
  • Defeated motion for preliminary injunction and led causation and damages case that resulted in damages award of less than 5.5% of the amount Apple sought in April 2014 trial between Apple and Samsung in the Northern District of California.
  • Represented Johns Manville in a patent dispute with its competitor Knauf in the Southern District of Indiana.  The case settled shortly before trial after we defeated 6 of the 7 asserted patents at summary judgment, massively trimming the scale of the case.
  • Defeated motion for preliminary injunction against Japanese client based on alleged trade secret theft.
  • Represented developer of $475 million mixed use project in dispute with anchor tenant over long-term lease obligations.  The matter settled favorably.
  • Represented developer of high-end hotel and residence project in connection with matters arising out of construction disputes.  The matter settled favorably without litigation.
  • Obtained very favorable 8 figure settlement for Penn National Gaming on eve of preliminary injunction hearing in section 1983 civil rights lawsuit against a municipality in Ohio.
  • Represented a Jordanian defense sub-contractor in an Alien Tort Statute and RICO case pending in Houston, Texas arising out of the provision of labor at U.S. military bases in Iraq.  The case settled after a favorable ruling at summary judgment.  Also represented the same client in a False Claims Act case in federal court in Washington DC.
  • Obtained a litigation cost settlement on behalf of a master land developer in a dispute with a real estate developer who sought almost $700 million in damages for breach of a series of land purchase agreements, after obtaining a ruling that the vast majority of the claimed damages were inadmissible.
  • Obtained dismissal of all claims against three outside directors of Crown Vantage Corporation arising out of $500 million spin-off transaction, which was subsequently upheld by the Ninth Circuit.
  • Obtained dismissal of class action claims against FIA, the governing body of Formula One racing, arising out of the 2005 United States Grand Prix.
  • Successfully argued appeal from a grant of summary judgment in our client's favor in the Ninth Circuit on behalf of major oil company.
  • Won dismissal of Section 17200 and CLRA claims on behalf of technology company in the Northern District of California.
  • Successfully opposed a TRO application in Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of a company seeking to enforce its non-compete agreement.
  • Represented GE Capital in the McKesson-HBOC merger litigation, arising out accounting restatement related to revenue recognition practices at HBOC; all matters dismissed.
  • Represented the PAH Litigation Trust in litigation asserting claims against the former owners and professional advisors to Physiotherapy Associates, one of the largest physical therapy providers in the U.S., for their role in structuring the leveraged buyout of the insolvent company based on false financial statements, culminating in its bankruptcy.
  • Represented a number of high net worth individuals in Marvin actions brought by former girlfriends claiming promises to convey substantial sums and real property.
  • Northwestern University School of Law
    (J.D., magna cum laude, 2000)
    • Northwestern University Law Review
    • Articles Board
    • Order of the Coif 
  • Claremont McKenna College
    (B.A., cum laude, 1997)
  • The State Bar of California
  • Law Clerk to the Hon. A. Raymond Randolph:
                United States Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit, 2000‑2001
  • Lawdragon 500: Leading Lawyers in America for IP Litigation, 2025
  • Lawdragon 500: 500 Leading Litigators in America, 2025
  • The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs 2023-2025
  • Lawdragon 500: Energy, 2023-2024
  • Panelist, ABA Antitrust Law Section panel on Marketing Scholarship: Applications in Complex Litigation, June 2023
  • "Winstar Damages: Restitution Where Benefit Conferred Is Greater than Plaintiff's Out-of-Pocket Cost," 94 NW. U. L. Rev. 305 (1999)