Mac LeBuhn

Mac LeBuhn joined Bartlit Beck in 2020. Mac has represented clients in a variety of disputes, including intellectual property, breach of contract, securities, and antitrust matters.

Before coming to the firm, he worked as a clerk to a federal judge and as Senior Policy Advisor and Legal Counsel in the Office of the Mayor of the City of Chicago. He completed his undergraduate and law degrees at Northwestern University.

Representative Matters

Northwestern University v. Moderna, Inc. et al. (D. Del.)
Trial counsel for Northwestern University in a patent infringement case against Moderna for vaccines which use lipid nanoparticles to deliver mRNA to human cells. These lipid nanoparticles were invented by researchers at Northwestern University, including Dr. Chad Mirkin, Dr. C. Shad Thaxton, and Dr. Kaylin McMahon. Read the complaint here, coverage in Reuters here, coverage in Bloomberg here, and coverage in Law 360 here.

In re January 2021 Short Squeeze Trading Litigation (MDL 2989)
Counsel for leading market-making firm in litigation arising from trading restrictions that on-line trading firms imposed on meme stocks. Southern District of Florida granted motion to dismiss. Appellate counsel in Eleventh Circuit appeal in which motion to dismiss was affirmed.

Doe Defendant Securities Litigation
Represented prominent investment firms in cases brought against Doe defendant alleging market manipulation. All cases dismissed.

Iowa Public Employees Retirement System, et al. v. Bank of America, et al.
Advised prominent investment firm on its rights as an absent class member in a class action relating to alleged anti-competitive conduct in the stock lending business. Pending in Southern District of New York.

Cases Tried or Otherwise Taken to Judgment

Northwestern University v. Universal Robots, et al. (D.Del.)
Trial counsel for Northwestern University in a patent infringement case against Universal Robots, a manufacturer of collaborative robots that were invented by Drs. Michael A. Peshkin and J. Edward Colgate at Northwestern University. After a four-day trial, the jury returned a verdict finding that Universal Robots infringed Northwestern’s patents and that Universal Robots failed to prove that the patents were invalid. The victory was recognized by Bloomberg, Law 360, and AmLaw.

Trinity Industries Leasing Company v. Sunoco Partners Marketing & Terminals (Dallas County, Texas)
Trial counsel for Trinity in a breach-of-contract case relating to the lease of 280 railcars to Sunoco. After a four-day jury trial in Dallas County Court, the judge granted a motion for directed verdict in Trinity's favor, ruling that Sunoco had breached the contract by failing to pay for government-mandated modifications to the railcars.

Current Representations

Viasat, Inc. v. Western Digital Technologies, Inc. & Kioxia Corp. (W.D. Tex) 
Trial counsel for Viasat in patent infringement cases related to SanDisk’s and Kioxia’s flash memory products. Jury awarded $229 million in the case against Kioxia after finding that Kioxia's flash memory products infringed Viasat's forward error correction patents. The SanDisk case is pending. 

Professional Activities and Community Service

Board of Directors, CHANGE Illinois (2022 – present)