Law Firm Clients
Dr. Tal Lavian is a telecommunications expert witness and internet expert witness who provides testimony and technical consulting to law firms handling complex patent litigation and intellectual property disputes involving telecommunications, network communications, Internet protocols, and related technologies. Dr. Lavian has spent nearly 20 years researching, studying, and lecturing at UC Berkeley. His research focuses on telecommunications systems, data networks, network services, software, network protocols, and communications frameworks. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from UC Berkeley, specializing in network communications.
With over 35 years of industry and academic experience, Dr. Lavian has provided expert witness services in over 90 cases before U.S. Federal and District Courts, the International Trade Commission (ITC), and the USPTO Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB)—including IPRs, CBM reviews, PGRs, Ex-Parte Re-Examinations, and PTO Interferences. He has delivered over 60 depositions and has served as an expert on over 100 patents litigated. He has also provided testimony in international proceedings in Canada and Asia.
Technical Expertise
Dr. Lavian’s areas of expertise include telecommunications systems, computer networks, VoIP, mobile wireless, network security, streaming media, Internet protocols, and software architecture. As an inventor on over 120 patents, he brings firsthand understanding of patent prosecution and claim construction.
Litigation Experience
Dr. Lavian has been retained in matters involving companies such as Apple, Google, Cisco, Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook, Ericsson, and T-Mobile, among others. His case history encompasses both plaintiff and defense engagements in patent infringement, trade secret, and other intellectual property disputes.
Forums & Proceedings
Dr. Lavian has testified in U.S. Federal and District Courts, the ITC, and the USPTO PTAB. His experience covers claim construction and Markman hearings, jury and bench trials, depositions, and various post-grant proceedings. He has also provided expert opinions in international proceedings in Canada and Asia.
Firms That Have Retained Dr. Lavian
FAQ — Law Firm Expert Witness Retention
What technology areas can Dr. Lavian address as an expert witness?
Dr. Lavian addresses telecommunications systems (PSTN, VoIP, SIP, H.323), network communications and Internet protocols (TCP/IP, BGP, OSPF, MPLS), mobile and wireless communications (Wi-Fi, cellular, IEEE 802.11), network security, streaming media, routing and switching, computer networking, and network management technologies.
What proceedings has Dr. Lavian provided testimony in?
Dr. Lavian has provided expert witness testimony in U.S. federal district courts including the District of Delaware, the Central and Northern Districts of California, and the Eastern and Western Districts of Texas; the USPTO Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) in IPR, PGR, and CBM proceedings; the International Trade Commission (ITC) Section 337 investigations; the Canadian Federal Court; and a court in Malaysia.
Can Dr. Lavian serve as both plaintiff-side and defense-side expert?
Yes. Dr. Lavian has been retained by both plaintiff and defendant counsel in patent litigation, providing independent technical analysis. He has served as expert witness in cases involving Apple, Google, Microsoft, Samsung, Meta (Facebook), Cisco, AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Juniper Networks, Huawei, Ericsson, Amazon, Netflix, and Comcast, among others.
What is Dr. Lavian's deposition and trial experience?
Dr. Lavian has been deposed over 60 times in patent litigation matters, and has provided trial testimony before federal judges, juries, PTAB administrative judges, and ITC administrative law judges. He has served in 90+ cases across his expert witness career.
How does Dr. Lavian's patent inventor experience benefit litigation?
As the inventor of over 120 patents — with 60+ prosecuted pro-se at the USPTO — Dr. Lavian brings firsthand knowledge of the patent prosecution process, claim drafting, and office action practice. This provides law firms with an inventor perspective on claim construction and invalidity that a purely academic expert cannot offer.