ComputerLaw Group

What ComputerLaw Group does

ComputerLaw Group LLP is a boutique intellectual-property law firm headquartered at 401 Florence Street in Palo Alto, California, originally founded by Jack Russo in 1985 (formerly Russo & Hale LLP). The firm's practice is organized around ten interconnected service areas spanning the IP lifecycle: IP protection (patent prosecution and trademark/copyright registration with the USPTO), strategic IP planning, IP litigation, computer-industry litigation, negotiation and licensing, business litigation, employment litigation, entrepreneurship/startup advisory, founder's law, and alternative dispute resolution (mediation/arbitration). Clients range from individual entrepreneurs and early-stage startups through mid-market technology companies, with selected engagements extending to Fortune 100 corporations; the firm is admitted to practice in California, New York, Washington, Oregon, Hawaii, and Washington D.C. The bench consists of Managing Partner Jack Russo (UCLA Law, Columbia/Berkeley MBA, LLM), Of Counsel attorneys Michael V. Risch (University of Chicago Law, ex-Stanford Law Olin Fellow, current Villanova Law professor) and Joe Greco (Stanford Law, 30+ years IP litigation), and Associate Lucy Goodnough.

The firm's revenue model is traditional professional-services billing: minimum retainer arrangements for ongoing representation, hourly billing, fixed-price initial consultations, and alternative fee structures (contingent, partial contingent, or stock/stock option) offered selectively to entrepreneurs and young companies. Distribution is direct client engagement via a Palo Alto office and inbound from a content-marketing ecosystem that includes the California Intellectual Property Law Blog, The Valley Current podcast, YouTube video series, CLE webinars, and LinkedIn/Twitter/Facebook channels. The firm holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, and its senior partners have received sustained recognition including 10+ consecutive years of Northern California SuperLawyer selection and IP Star designation from Managing Intellectual Property Magazine. The firm holds no proprietary technology, has no external investors, and operates as a privately-held limited liability partnership with no disclosed revenue or M&A activity.

Name

ComputerLaw Group

Legal name

Computerlaw Group LLP

Website

https://computerlaw.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ComputerLaw Group LLP is a Palo Alto boutique intellectual-property law firm founded in 1985, serving computer and high-tech clients — from individual entrepreneurs and startups to Fortune 100 companies — across patent prosecution, IP litigation, licensing, and business litigation in multiple U.S. states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Services — Intellectual Property Law

NAICS

Legal Services (5411), Offices of Lawyers (541110)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) & Securities Law (BPAHAAAI)

Keywords

• Intellectual property law
• Patent prosecution
• Trademark registration
• IP litigation
• Technology law

Headquarters

HQ city

Palo Alto

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Legal Services - Hourly/Retainer: Traditional law firm billing model. The firm generally requires a minimum retainer for representation agreements, with alternative arrangements in select circumstances such as contingent fee, partial contingent fee, or stock/stock option basis for entrepreneurs and young companies.
2. Fixed Price Consultations: Offers fixed price consultations for initial client meetings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Computerlaw Group LLP is a Palo Alto-based boutique intellectual property law firm delivering legal services to computer and high-tech industry clients, including patent/trademark/copyright prosecution before the USPTO, IP and commercial litigation in state and federal courts, strategic IP planning, licensing and contract negotiation, employment litigation, and alternative dispute resolution. The firm serves clients ranging from individual entrepreneurs and startups to Fortune 100 companies across Silicon Valley and multiple US jurisdictions.

Product overview

ComputerLaw Group LLP is a boutique intellectual property law firm founded in 1985, offering legal services rather than software products. The firm's service portfolio comprises multiple interconnected practice areas: Intellectual Property Protection (patent, trademark, copyright applications) and Strategic Intellectual Property Planning form the foundational IP services; Intellectual Property Litigation and Computer Industry Litigation provide enforcement and defense capabilities; Negotiation and Licensing handles contract and license matters; Employment Litigation addresses tech-industry employment disputes; and Entrepreneurship and Founder's Law support startups and business formation. Mediation and Arbitration services provide alternative dispute resolution. Business Litigation rounds out the offering with broader commercial dispute resolution. The firm serves clients ranging from individual entrepreneurs to Fortune 100 companies in computer and high-tech industries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Intellectual Property Protection (Patent, Trademark, Copyright Applications) Prosecution of patents and registration of trademarks and copyrights with the USPTO, crafted based on long-term IP protection strategy. Targeted at computer and high-tech industry clients seeking foundational IP registrations.
• Intellectual Property Litigation
• Strategic Intellectual Property Planning
• Negotiation and Licensing
• Computer Industry Litigation
• Employment Litigation
• Entrepreneurship Legal Services
• Founder's Law
• Mediation and Arbitration
• Business Litigation

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully litigated both sides of IP disputes, both small and large, representing clients from individual entrepreneurs to Fortune 100 companies
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati: Premier Silicon Valley-based law firm advising technology, life sciences, and growth companies on IP, corporate, and litigation matters. Comparable computer/high-tech client focus, founding heritage, and Bay Area presence.
• Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP: Global law firm with notable technology and IP practices serving technology companies in Silicon Valley and beyond. Comparable tech-sector client base and Silicon Valley presence at much larger scale.
• Fenwick & West LLP: Silicon Valley-based law firm specializing in technology and life sciences, with strong IP litigation and licensing practice serving software and computer-industry clients. Comparable tech-vertical focus and Bay Area base.
• Cooley LLP: Major tech-focused law firm with deep Silicon Valley roots serving technology and life-sciences clients on IP, corporate, and litigation matters. Comparable technology-client base and Silicon Valley footprint at much larger scale.
• Fish & Richardson: Largest US firm specializing in intellectual property law - patent prosecution, litigation, and technology transactions. Highly comparable in practice mix (computer-industry IP focus) but operates nationally at significantly greater scale.
• Morrison Foerster LLP: Major global law firm with extensive technology and IP practices across software, hardware, and semiconductor clients. Comparable in its Silicon Valley tech-company focus and IP litigation depth.
• Knobbe Martens: Major intellectual-property law firm with strong patent prosecution and litigation practices serving technology and software clients. Comparable IP-specialist positioning and computer-industry focus.
• Finnegan LLP: One of the largest IP-specialty law firms globally, with deep patent prosecution and litigation practices in computer/software technologies. Comparable IP specialization and computer-industry client base at significantly greater scale.

Direct peers

• Irell & Manella LLP: California-based litigation and IP boutique. Comparable as a California IP and complex-litigation boutique with sophisticated technology-sector clients, though larger in scale than ComputerLaw Group.
• Carr & Ferrell LLP: Small Silicon Valley-based boutique law firm serving technology, venture, and IP clients. Highly comparable in size, geography (Palo Alto/SF Bay Area), and tech/startup client focus to ComputerLaw Group, with similar IP prosecution, licensing, and litigation practice.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xmobile.twitter.com/Founderslaw
• Facebookfacebook.com/computerlawgroupllp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/computerlaw-group-llp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 ComputerLaw Group