Robins Kaplan

What Robins Kaplan does

Robins Kaplan LLP is a national trial law firm headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, founded in 1938, with offices in seven U.S. cities (Minneapolis, New York, Silicon Valley, Boston, Los Angeles, Sioux Falls, and Bismarck) and a headcount in the 251–500 range, of which over 200 are described as elite litigators. The firm focuses on complex, high-stakes litigation across intellectual property and technology litigation (patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret, Hatch-Waxman pharmaceutical, ITC Section 337), business litigation (antitrust, class actions, securities), fraud investigations and recovery, and AI-related disputes and counseling. Its customer base spans Fortune 500 corporations, technology companies, pharmaceutical and life sciences firms, financial institutions, and educational institutions, with documented engagements for Best Buy, Honeywell, Medtronic, General Mills, BMO Harris Bank, University of Pennsylvania, Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Great Clips, The Toro Company, and Willis Electric.

The firm's product portfolio is services-led rather than software-led, but includes proprietary technology offerings under the "Acumen" suite: Pinpoint IP® patent analytics platform (recognized as a 2023 National Law Journal Legal Technology Trailblazer), OneBudget® legal project management software providing budget certainty for litigation matters, and Acumen Litigation Support Services covering ediscovery and technical advisory. These offerings are differentiated by embedding Ph.D. science and engineering advisors in technical disciplines such as biophysics, biochemistry, molecular biology, and electrical engineering directly into case workflows.

Robins Kaplan operates as a private limited liability partnership on a professional services revenue model, billing through both traditional hourly arrangements and alternative fee structures including contingency and risk-sharing models. Go-to-market is partner-led enterprise field sales targeting large, multi-year litigation matters; pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The firm has produced landmark outcomes including a $6.5 billion Big Tobacco settlement, a $5.5 billion interchange fee and merchant discount litigation settlement, a $467 million COVID-19 vaccine technology settlement (2025), a $71.4 million patent infringement verdict, and over $6 billion in recoveries in antitrust matters, establishing a track record that underwrites ongoing enterprise client acquisition.

Name

Robins Kaplan

Legal name

Robins Kaplan LLP

Website

https://robinskaplan.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Robins Kaplan LLP is a national trial law firm with over 200 elite litigators across seven U.S. cities, specializing in complex intellectual property, antitrust, business litigation, and fraud investigations for Fortune 500 companies and technology innovators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trial Law Services

NAICS

Legal Services (5411)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Trademark Prosecution & Brand Protection (BPAHAMAB)

Keywords

• Complex litigation services
• Intellectual property litigation
• Antitrust class actions
• Commercial trial law
• Pharmaceutical patent litigation

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Legal Services - Hourly Billing: Traditional hourly fee arrangement for legal representation in complex litigation matters
2. Alternative Fee Arrangements: Creative fee arrangements including alternative fee arrangements, contingency fees, and risk-sharing models with clients

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Robins Kaplan LLP is a national trial law firm that provides legal representation in complex, high-stakes litigation matters, including intellectual property litigation, antitrust and class actions, business disputes, Hatch-Waxman pharmaceutical patent disputes, government investigations, and white-collar defense. The firm serves Fortune 500 corporations, technology companies, financial institutions, and life sciences clients across seven U.S. offices, supported by proprietary tools such as Pinpoint IP® patent analytics and the Acumen litigation support suite.

Product overview

Robins Kaplan LLP is a national trial law firm offering a portfolio of specialized legal services rather than a unified software product. The core service lines include Intellectual Property and Technology Litigation (encompassing patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret matters), Business Litigation (including antitrust and class action defense), and specialized practices such as Hatch-Waxman pharmaceutical litigation and government investigations. Proprietary offerings include Pinpoint IP® patent analytics and the Acumen suite of litigation support services (ediscovery, legal project management, technical science advisors). These services are offered as distinct but complementary practice areas, with technology-enabled offerings like patent analytics and ediscovery supporting the core litigation practices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Intellectual Property and Technology Litigation Full-spectrum intellectual property litigation services including patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret litigation for technology, software, semiconductor, pharmaceutical, and medical device clients in federal district court, the Federal Circuit, and the International Trade Commission.
• Business Litigation High-stakes commercial litigation services spanning antitrust, class action defense, securities litigation, and complex business disputes for Fortune 500 companies and mid-market clients across financial services, insurance, manufacturing, retail, and food and beverage.
• Hatch-Waxman Litigation Pharmaceutical patent litigation under the Hatch-Waxman Act representing both brand-name and generic pharmaceutical companies in patent infringement disputes, ANDA filings, and paragraph IV certifications.
• Patent Analytics with Pinpoint IP® Proprietary patent analytics offering that combines IP litigation expertise with Ph.D. science and engineering advisors and financial/economic consultants to help innovators and investors evaluate IP portfolios, identify hidden value, and decide whether to maintain, defend, or monetize technology assets; part of the Acumen Powered by Robins Kaplan LLP® suite.
• Acumen Litigation Support Services Litigation support offering combining ediscovery, legal project management, and Ph.D. science advisors in biochemistry, molecular biology, electrical engineering, and other technical disciplines to lower clients' ediscovery costs and risks while supporting complex IP and technology litigation.
• Fraud, Investigations & Recovery White-collar criminal defense, internal investigations, government enforcement defense, and fraud recovery litigation including securities fraud, healthcare fraud, and corporate misconduct matters.
• Artificial Intelligence Disputes and Counseling Legal services addressing disputes and counseling related to artificial intelligence, including IP issues, liability questions, and regulatory compliance matters involving AI technologies.
• International Trade Commission Practice Representation in Section 337 investigations and other ITC proceedings for patent infringement, trade secret misappropriation, and other unfair practices in import trade.

Quantifiable outcome

• $6.5 billion settlement in historic Big Tobacco lawsuit
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan: Premier litigation-only firm specializing in complex, high-stakes business litigation, IP disputes and class actions. Closest direct peer — same business model (pure litigation, hourly and contingency), comparable elite trial reputation, and similar Fortune 500/IP client base.
• Susman Godfrey: Elite trial boutique with a national reputation for bet-the-company litigation, IP and antitrust matters. Closely comparable in size (200+ lawyers), contingency-heavy model, and high-profile plaintiff work — directly competes for the same high-stakes matters.
• Fish & Richardson: Leading IP-focused law firm with deep patent litigation, prosecution and licensing practices. Direct peer in Robins Kaplan's largest practice area, with similar Fortune 500 and tech company clients (including Hatch-Waxman and ITC work).
• Bartlit Beck Herman Palenchar & Scott: Elite trial firm known for complex commercial and IP litigation with a small, highly compensated partner cadre. Comparable model — focused, high-stakes matters, exceptional courtroom reputation.
• McKool Smith: Nationally recognized litigation firm with a strong IP and complex commercial practice. Direct competitor in patent infringement (especially Hatch-Waxman) and high-stakes commercial litigation.
• Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein: Plaintiff-side complex litigation firm with deep class action, antitrust and mass tort experience. Comparable in contingency-fee model and Fortune 500-class action defense and plaintiff work (e.g., similar Big Tobacco-era plaintiff cases).

Broad incumbents

• WilmerHale: Elite full-service law firm with one of the leading IP litigation practices in the U.S. Larger and broader portfolio, but directly competes for the same IP, antitrust and complex litigation mandates from Fortune 500 and life sciences clients.
• Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom: Global AmLaw 50 firm with substantial IP, antitrust and complex litigation practices. Overlaps significantly in serving Fortune 500 and pharmaceutical clients in patent and commercial disputes.
• King & Spalding: Major international law firm with a strong IP litigation and pharmaceutical regulatory practice. Comparable in IP/Hatch-Waxman work and has been actively acquiring IP boutiques to compete directly in Robins Kaplan's core areas.
• Latham & Watkins: One of the largest global law firms with a top-tier IP litigation practice. Frequently competes for the same Hatch-Waxman, ITC and complex IP matters from pharmaceutical and technology clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Robins Kaplan