Four Decades for Justice
Richard J. Stark retired from Cravath’s Litigation Department in December 2021. As a Cravath partner, he earned wide recognition as a leading litigator in complex business litigation, as well as a trusted advisor to his clients. Mr. Stark has particular expertise in antitrust, intellectual property and securities litigation, and has deep litigation experience in a number of technology sectors, including software, computer systems and microelectronics, as well as in biotechnology, life sciences, and banking.
Along with his decades of legal experience, Mr. Stark has a graduate degree in Computer Science (machine learning) and is a registered patent attorney. He has advised corporate leaders on complex litigation strategy, antitrust, intellectual property, standard‑setting, contract litigation and deal litigation.
Originally from New York, Mr. Stark received an A.B. from Harvard College in 1986, with concentrations in Government and Computer Science; a J.D. from New York University School of Law in 1991; and an M.S. in Computer Science from the Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science in 2014.
Mr. Stark joined Cravath in 1991 and was elected a partner in 1998.
Originally from New York, Mr. Stark received an A.B. from Harvard College in 1986, with concentrations in Government and Computer Science; a J.D. from New York University School of Law in 1991; and an M.S. in Computer Science from the Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science in 2014.
Mr. Stark joined Cravath in 1991 and was elected a partner in 1998.
Deals & Cases
September 02, 2022
On September 1, 2022, Chief Administrative Law Judge D. Michael Chappell of the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) ruled in favor of Cravath client Illumina, rejecting the FTC’s challenge to Illumina’s $8 billion acquisition of GRAIL, which closed in August 2021.
Deals & Cases
June 03, 2011
On May 29, 2011, Cravath client IBM entered into an agreement to settle a lawsuit brought by Neon Enterprise Software in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas in December 2009. The suit concerned Neon’s software product, zPrime. Neon’s claims, seeking billions of dollars in alleged damages, included false advertising, business disparagement, tortious interference with prospective contracts and monopolization. IBM counterclaimed for breach of contract, tortious interference with contract and false advertising. In February 2011, the court issued a decision denying both parties’ motions for summary judgment, but upholding IBM’s interpretation of the relevant contracts. Certain fact questions were left for the jury. The case settled on the eve of trial, resulting in IBM’s winning a permanent injunction against Neon and the dismissal of all claims and counterclaims.
Deals & Cases
March 17, 2011
On March 7, 2011, Judge Steven Brick of the Superior Court of California, Alameda County, granted summary judgment in favor of a group of pharmaceutical manufacturers and their trade group, PhRMA, in an antitrust action brought by a group of retail pharmacists in 2004 under California law. Cravath served as co-counsel to defendant Bristol-Myers Squibb Company.
Deals & Cases
February 03, 2011
On January 31, 2011, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio granted a motion to dismiss antitrust claims brought against Cravath clients Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and Sanofi-Aventis. Direct and indirect purchasers of Plavix® filed purported class actions in the Southern District of Ohio. All plaintiffs alleged that patent settlement agreements involving Plavix® constituted an unlawful restraint of trade in violation of Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act. The indirect purchasers also alleged violations of various state antitrust and consumer protection statutes as well as unjust enrichment. The court granted Cravath’s motion to dismiss the indirect purchasers’ claims in their entirety. The direct purchaser cases were previously dismissed. Cravath partner Richard J. Stark argued the motions for both Bristol-Myers Squibb and Sanofi-Aventis.
Deals & Cases
October 20, 2010
On October 19, 2010, Judge Sidney Stein of the Southern District of New York issued an Opinion and Order granting the motion by Sanofi-Aventis and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company for summary judgment on damages against Apotex in the long-running patent infringement litigation on the drug Plavix®, the world’s second-largest-selling prescription drug. Cravath has represented the plaintiffs, Sanofi-Aventis and Bristol-Myers Squibb, since the commencement of the case in 2002. Today’s decision rejects a number of last-minute arguments by Apotex, grants plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment as to damages and directs the entry of a final judgment in favor of Cravath’s clients of more than $550 million, including prejudgment interest.
Richard J. Stark retired from Cravath’s Litigation Department in December 2021. As a Cravath partner, he earned wide recognition as a leading litigator in complex business litigation, as well as a trusted advisor to his clients. Mr. Stark has particular expertise in antitrust, intellectual property and securities litigation, and has deep litigation experience in a number of technology sectors, including software, computer systems and microelectronics, as well as in biotechnology, life sciences, and banking.
Along with his decades of legal experience, Mr. Stark has a graduate degree in Computer Science (machine learning) and is a registered patent attorney. He has advised corporate leaders on complex litigation strategy, antitrust, intellectual property, standard‑setting, contract litigation and deal litigation.
Originally from New York, Mr. Stark received an A.B. from Harvard College in 1986, with concentrations in Government and Computer Science; a J.D. from New York University School of Law in 1991; and an M.S. in Computer Science from the Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science in 2014.
Mr. Stark joined Cravath in 1991 and was elected a partner in 1998.
Originally from New York, Mr. Stark received an A.B. from Harvard College in 1986, with concentrations in Government and Computer Science; a J.D. from New York University School of Law in 1991; and an M.S. in Computer Science from the Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science in 2014.
Mr. Stark joined Cravath in 1991 and was elected a partner in 1998.
Deals & Cases
September 02, 2022
On September 1, 2022, Chief Administrative Law Judge D. Michael Chappell of the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) ruled in favor of Cravath client Illumina, rejecting the FTC’s challenge to Illumina’s $8 billion acquisition of GRAIL, which closed in August 2021.
Deals & Cases
June 03, 2011
On May 29, 2011, Cravath client IBM entered into an agreement to settle a lawsuit brought by Neon Enterprise Software in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas in December 2009. The suit concerned Neon’s software product, zPrime. Neon’s claims, seeking billions of dollars in alleged damages, included false advertising, business disparagement, tortious interference with prospective contracts and monopolization. IBM counterclaimed for breach of contract, tortious interference with contract and false advertising. In February 2011, the court issued a decision denying both parties’ motions for summary judgment, but upholding IBM’s interpretation of the relevant contracts. Certain fact questions were left for the jury. The case settled on the eve of trial, resulting in IBM’s winning a permanent injunction against Neon and the dismissal of all claims and counterclaims.
Deals & Cases
March 17, 2011
On March 7, 2011, Judge Steven Brick of the Superior Court of California, Alameda County, granted summary judgment in favor of a group of pharmaceutical manufacturers and their trade group, PhRMA, in an antitrust action brought by a group of retail pharmacists in 2004 under California law. Cravath served as co-counsel to defendant Bristol-Myers Squibb Company.
Deals & Cases
February 03, 2011
On January 31, 2011, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio granted a motion to dismiss antitrust claims brought against Cravath clients Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and Sanofi-Aventis. Direct and indirect purchasers of Plavix® filed purported class actions in the Southern District of Ohio. All plaintiffs alleged that patent settlement agreements involving Plavix® constituted an unlawful restraint of trade in violation of Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act. The indirect purchasers also alleged violations of various state antitrust and consumer protection statutes as well as unjust enrichment. The court granted Cravath’s motion to dismiss the indirect purchasers’ claims in their entirety. The direct purchaser cases were previously dismissed. Cravath partner Richard J. Stark argued the motions for both Bristol-Myers Squibb and Sanofi-Aventis.
Deals & Cases
October 20, 2010
On October 19, 2010, Judge Sidney Stein of the Southern District of New York issued an Opinion and Order granting the motion by Sanofi-Aventis and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company for summary judgment on damages against Apotex in the long-running patent infringement litigation on the drug Plavix®, the world’s second-largest-selling prescription drug. Cravath has represented the plaintiffs, Sanofi-Aventis and Bristol-Myers Squibb, since the commencement of the case in 2002. Today’s decision rejects a number of last-minute arguments by Apotex, grants plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment as to damages and directs the entry of a final judgment in favor of Cravath’s clients of more than $550 million, including prejudgment interest.
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