Ariane Mann is a trial and appellate lawyer who is driven by her passion to provide fair representation for inventors, creators, and innovators. She focuses on intellectual property litigation and counseling, including patent litigation, copyright, and trade secret disputes.

A former digital forensics analyst for the Central Intelligence Agency, Ariane blends her analytical skills and technical background in computer science to offer clients unique perspectives into emerging technologies and strategic insights into cases to anticipate successful appellate review. She has experience before multiple forums, including district and appellate courts, the U.S. International Trade Commission, and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Ariane also has worked across a range of technologies—from mobile and robotics devices, telecommunications systems, software systems, and display devices to microscopes and tobacco-cessation devices.

Prior to joining RJLF, Ariane worked at three global law firms where she gained experience in all aspects of civil discovery, depositions, drafting motions and IPR petitions, as well as working closely with technical experts and reviewing source code. Ariane also clerked for the Honorable Kara F. Stoll of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

During law school, Ariane served as a teaching fellow for Harvard’s CopyrightX course and the Harvard W.E.B. Du Bois Society and received the Dean’s Scholar Prize in International Intellectual Property.

Representative Matters

• Represented a major online retailer in a multi-patent declaratory judgment action relating to web and mobile technologies and secured a complete victory following a successful motion for summary judgment of invalidity. The judgment resulted in the company’s continued use of their web and mobile technologies and saved tens of millions in potential licensing fees or damages sought by the patent owner.

• Represented a multinational computer software technology corporation in two co-pending patent infringement lawsuits involving 12 patents and related IPR proceedings related to speech recognition, computer-assisted physician documentation, and transcription technology. The court invalidated patents directed to an abstract concept asserted against the client which permitted the continued use of technology that served as the core of its business.

• Represented a multinational electronics corporation in a three-patent infringement lawsuit and IPR proceedings related to digital media devices, image recognition, storage and search retrieval, and voice assistant technologies.

• Representing Arconic, Inc. in a trade secret dispute with Universal Alloy Corporation. The case is pending in the Northern District of Georgia and involves allegations that UAC stole trade secrets used to manufacture airplane wing components in order to divert over $200 million in sales from Arconic. The representation includes defense of antitrust counterclaims.

• Representing VideoLabs in bet-the-company patent litigation regarding foundational video technologies against multiple Fortune 500 companies, including Amazon, Netflix, and Facebook.

• Representing Wenger S.A., a Swiss company, in a patent infringement litigation brought by SwissDigital. The allegations relate to SWISSGEAR backpacks with USB charging capabilities. 

Pro Bono & Professional Activities

• Represented the Tulsa Women’s Reproductive Clinic and Dr. Alan Braid in a First Amendment challenge to a law that threatened doctors with felony criminal charges if they refused to tell patients that medication abortions are “reversible”—a misleading claim unsupported by scientific evidence. Helped secure a temporary injunction preventing the Oklahoma Senate Bill from going into effect.

• Represented a child with special needs in the D.C. school system to enforce their special education program. Helped secure necessary accommodations in compliance with their education program.

• Represented deaf and hard of hearing people incarcerated in prisons supervised by the Georgia Department of Corrections seeking effective communication access in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act, and the U.S. Constitution. Helped secure an increase in access to interpreters and other communication accommodations in compliance with the law.

• Volunteering with Compass Pro Bono, a DC nonprofit organization whose mission promotes ties between local nonprofits and local business professionals to empower thriving, equitable, resilient communities. Providing recommendations regarding successful marketing practices to increase participation, retain donors, and improve brand recognition.

Recent Publication

• “Federal Circuit Opinion: Trinity Info Media v. Covalent Case’s Impact on Patent Eligibility for Software-Based Inventions,” California Lawyers Association, New Matter Winter 2023 Edition