Ian Gore

Some of Gore’s significant matters include:

ANTITRUST & COMPETITION

• In re National Football League’s “Sunday Ticket” Antitrust Litigation (C.D. Cal.). Gore plays a leading role in the team appointed by the Court to serve as co-lead counsel for the plaintiffs in this multidistrict class action case. In this case that has the potential to impact sports broadcasting, plaintiffs challenge the structure behind Sunday Ticket, including the elimination of competition among the NFL’s teams and the NFL’s decision to offer Sunday Ticket to DIRECTV on an exclusive basis. Gore was instrumental in his team’s success in upholding the plaintiffs’ allegations before the Ninth Circuit and later when the Supreme Court declined to review that decision. The case is ongoing.
• Waymo v. Uber (N.D. Cal.).Gore and a team from Susman Godfrey were hired by Uber Technologies, Inc. just months before trial in the lawsuit between Waymo and Uber regarding self-driving car technology. Alphabet’s Waymo claimed more than $2 billion in damages against Uber over allegations of stolen trade secrets and patent infringement. In a critical move, Gore’s team got all of Waymo’s expert damages opinions struck and the case settled during the first week of trial. 

COMMERCIAL DISPUTES

• Papua New Guinea Oil and Gas Dispute (International Centre for Dispute Resolution). Gore represented a group of oil and gas investors in a dispute arising from oil and gas interests in Papua New Guinea. The dispute was resolved after the conclusion of a full arbitration hearing.
• Quality Is Our Recipe (Wendy’s) v. DavCo. (Ohio State Court). Gore defended one of the largest Wendy’s franchisees in a lawsuit brought by Wendy’s in a franchise compliance dispute. The case had significant implications for the relationship between franchisors and franchisees, particularly within the Wendy’s franchise system, and resulted in a favorable settlement with the purchase of DavCo’s franchised restaurants.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

• Fitbit v. Jawbone (International Trade Commission). Gore defended Jawbone in a patent infringement action before the ITC. Gore briefed motions regarding the invalidity of Fitbit’s patents and argued at the Markman hearing before the presiding administrative law judge. Gore and the Susman Godfrey team successfully secured a ruling that Fitbit’s patents were invalid.

PRODUCT LIABILITY

• Blitz Gas Can Litigation – Walmart (Federal Courts in Arizona, Kansas, New Jersey, and Texas; State Courts in Arkansas and Oklahoma). Gore successfully defended Walmart in several product liability lawsuits in state and federal courts arising from injuries caused by plastic portable gasoline containers manufactured by Blitz. The cases were resolved with favorable dispositive motions or settlements.

PRO BONO

• Military Discharge Upgrade. For several years, Gore has represented a former Marine that was discharged from the Marine Corps with a bad conduct discharge. Ian’s client later discovered that he suffered from a severe form of post-traumatic stress disorder that caused the behavior underlying the court-martial. Gore extensively researched the legal and factual record, obtained a forensic psychiatrist to evaluate his client, and prepared an application to the Naval Discharge Review Board. Despite a record of being one of the most difficult fora to receive a discharge upgrade, the Board granted an upgrade to Gore’s client.

Gore joined Susman Godfrey after starting his career in the U.S. Army. After graduating from the U.S. Military Academy (West Point) as a distinguished cadet, Ian went served for five years as a military intelligence officer. During that time, Gore deployed in support of operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

After his military service, Gore graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School, where he was the Editor-in-Chief of the Harvard Journal on Legislation. Upon graduation, Gore clerked for the Honorable Dennis Jacobs of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.