Bio

Mark Lemley is the William H. Neukom Professor of Law at Stanford Law School and the Director of the Stanford Program in Law, Science and Technology. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research and is affiliated faculty in the Symbolic Systems program. He teaches intellectual property, patent law, trademark law, antitrust, the law of robotics and AI, video game law, and remedies. He is the author of 11 books and 218 articles, including the two-volume treatise IP and Antitrust. His works have been cited more than 300 times by courts, including 19 times by the United States Supreme Court, and more than 40,000 times in books and academic articles, making him the most-cited scholar in IP law and one of the ten most cited legal scholars of all time. He has published 9 of the 100 most-cited law review articles of the last twenty years, more than any other scholar, and is the third most cited legal scholar in the world from 2016-2020. His articles have appeared in 24 of the top 25 law reviews and in top journals in other fields, including Nature Biotechnology, the American Economic Review, the Review of Economics and Statistics, and the Harvard Business Review, and in multiple peer-reviewed and specialty journals. They have been reprinted throughout the world and translated into Chinese, Danish, Japanese, Korean, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish. He has taught IP law to judges at numerous Federal Judicial Center and ABA programs, has testified eight times before Congress, and has filed more than 70 amicus briefs in the U.S. Supreme Court and other courts.

Mark is of counsel at the law firm Lex Lumina. He litigates and counsels clients in all areas of intellectual property, antitrust, and internet law. He has argued 30 federal appellate cases and numerous district court cases as well as before the California Supreme Court. He has participated in more than three dozen cases in the United States Supreme Court as counsel or amici. His client base is diverse and has included Genentech, Dykes on Bikes, video game companies, artists, computer scientists, and nearly every significant Internet company.

Mark cofounded Lex Machina, Inc., a startup company that provides litigation data and analytics to law firms, companies, courts, and policymakers. Lex Machina was acquired by Lexis in December 2015.

Mark has been named California Lawyer’s Attorney of the Year twice. He received the California State Bar’s inaugural IP Vanguard Award. He won the 2018 World Technology Award for Law. In 2017 he received the P.J. Federico Award from the Patent and Trademark Office Society. Back when he was young, he was named a Young Global Leader by the Davos World Economic Forum and Berkeley Law School’s Young Alumnus of the Year. He has been recognized as one of the top 50 litigators in the country under 45 and one of the 25 most influential people in IP by American Lawyer, one of the 100 most influential lawyers in the nation by the National Law Journal, and one of the 10 most admired attorneys in IP by IP360. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Law Institute, and the IP Hall of Fame.

Mark clerked for Judge Dorothy Nelson on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and has practiced law with Brown & Bain, Fish & Richardson, Keker & Van Nest, and Durie Tangri. He has previously taught at Berkeley Law School and the University of Texas School of Law. In his spare time, Mark enjoys cooking, travel, yoga, and video games (at this writing, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom).

Academic Appointments

Program Affiliations

  • Public Policy
  • Symbolic Systems Program

Contact

Additional Info

Links

Current Research and Scholarly Interests

intellectual property, Internet, and antitrust law; law and AI/robotics

2023-24 Courses

Stanford Advisees

  • Doctoral Dissertation Advisor (AC)
    Yutang Hsiao

All Publications

  • THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO CUSTOMIZE? BOSTON UNIVERSITY LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A., Mazzurco, S. 2023; 103 (2): 385-473

    View details for Web of Science ID 001107325400005

  • THE BENEFIT OF THE BARGAIN WISCONSIN LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A. 2023: 237-286

    View details for Web of Science ID 000981457000005

  • Editorial: Scarcity, regulation, and the abundance society. Frontiers in research metrics and analytics Desai, D. R., Lemley, M. A. 2022; 7: 1104460

    View details for DOI 10.3389/frma.2022.1104460

    View details for PubMedID 36778157

  • Interfaces and Interoperability After Google v. Oracle TEXAS LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A., Samuelson, P. 2021; 100 (1): 1-54

    View details for Web of Science ID 000727582100001

  • DISAPPEARING CONTENT BOSTON UNIVERSITY LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A. 2021; 101 (4): 1255-1288

    View details for Web of Science ID 000708455100001

  • Does Alice Target Patent Trolls? JOURNAL OF EMPIRICAL LEGAL STUDIES Lemley, M. A., Zyontz, S. 2021

    View details for DOI 10.1111/jels.12275

    View details for Web of Science ID 000629285800001

  • THE SPLINTERNET DUKE LAW JOURNAL Lemley, M. A. 2021; 70 (6): 1297–1327

    View details for Web of Science ID 000623901200003

  • Abandoning Trade Secrets STANFORD LAW REVIEW Hrdy, C. A., Lemley, M. A. 2021; 73 (10): 1–66

    View details for Web of Science ID 000616979100001

  • Chief Justice Webster IOWA LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A. 2020; 106 (1): 299–323

    View details for Web of Science ID 000612478100006

  • THE MEDICARE INNOVATION SUBSIDY NEW YORK UNIVERSITY LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A., Ouellette, L., Sachs, R. E. 2020; 95 (1): 75–129

    View details for Web of Science ID 000523565300002

  • WITHOUT PREAMBLE BOSTON UNIVERSITY LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A. 2020; 100 (2): 357–88

    View details for Web of Science ID 000521728400001

  • Playing Both Sides? Branded Sales, Generic Drugs, and Antitrust Policy HASTINGS LAW JOURNAL Carrier, M. A., Lemley, M. A., Miller, S. 2020; 71 (2): 307–58

    View details for Web of Science ID 000592383700002

  • YOU MIGHT BE A ROBOT CORNELL LAW REVIEW Casey, B., Lemley, M. A. 2020; 105 (2): 287–361

    View details for Web of Science ID 000623905300001

  • UNFAIR DISRUPTION BOSTON UNIVERSITY LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A., McKenna, M. P. 2020; 100 (1): 71–131

    View details for Web of Science ID 000510859000002

  • Pledging intellectual property for COVID-19. Nature biotechnology Contreras, J. L., Eisen, M. n., Ganz, A. n., Lemley, M. n., Molloy, J. n., Peters, D. M., Tietze, F. n. 2020; 38 (10): 1146–49

    View details for DOI 10.1038/s41587-020-0682-1

    View details for PubMedID 33020626

  • Remedies for Robots UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A., Casey, B. 2019; 86 (5): 1311–96

    View details for Web of Science ID 000482252000002

  • THE RIGHT OF PUBLICITY: PRIVACY REIMAGINED FOR A PUBLIC WORLD (Book Review) MICHIGAN LAW REVIEW Book Review Authored by: Lemley, M. A. 2019; 117 (6): 1153–78

    View details for Web of Science ID 000466323300011

  • The Patent Enforcement Iceberg TEXAS LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A., Richardson, K., Oliver, E. 2019; 97 (4): 801–33

    View details for Web of Science ID 000463693500003

  • HOW ESSENTIAL ARE STANDARD-ESSENTIAL PATENTS? CORNELL LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A., Simcoe, T. 2019; 104 (2): 607–42

    View details for Web of Science ID 000474436600002

  • The Sound and Fury of Patent Activity MINNESOTA LAW REVIEW Feldman, R. C., Lemley, M. A. 2019; 103 (4): 1793–1877

    View details for Web of Science ID 000466081300006

  • INTELLIGENT DESIGN DUKE LAW JOURNAL Buccafusco, C., Lemley, M. A., Masur, J. S. 2018; 68 (1): 75–139

    View details for Web of Science ID 000446060100002

  • LAW, VIRTUAL REALITY, AND AUGMENTED REALITY UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A., Volokh, E. 2018; 166 (5): 1051–1138

    View details for Web of Science ID 000439406300001

  • Can a Court Change the Law by Saying Nothing? VANDERBILT LAW REVIEW Gugliuzza, P. R., Lemley, M. A. 2018; 71 (3): 765–820

    View details for Web of Science ID 000430528800002

  • IS PATENT ENFORCEMENT EFFICIENT? BOSTON UNIVERSITY LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A., Feldman, R. 2018; 98 (2): 649–67

    View details for Web of Science ID 000428988000006

  • FUNCTIONALITY SCREENS VIRGINIA LAW REVIEW Buccafusco, C., Lemley, M. A. 2017; 103 (7): 1293–1378

    View details for Web of Science ID 000417027500001

  • Is Pepsi Really a Substitute for Coke? Market Definition in Antitrust and IP CAMBRIDGE HANDBOOK OF ANTITRUST, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, AND HIGH TECH Lemley, M. A., McKenna, M. P., Blair, R. D., Sokol, D. D. 2017: 183–203

    View details for Web of Science ID 000447853800011

  • Patent Licensing, Technology Transfer, and Innovation AMERICAN ECONOMIC REVIEW Lemley, M. A., Feldman, R. 2016; 106 (5): 188-192

    View details for DOI 10.1257/aer.p20161092

    View details for Web of Science ID 000379341300035

  • READY FOR PATENTING BOSTON UNIVERSITY LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A. 2016; 96 (3): 1171-1195

    View details for Web of Science ID 000383116400018

  • If You Can't Beat 'Em, Join 'Em? How Sitting by Designation Affects Judicial Behavior TEXAS LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A., Miller, S. P. 2016; 94 (3): 451-484

    View details for Web of Science ID 000371104900001

  • Do Patent Licensing Demands Mean Innovation? IOWA LAW REVIEW Feldman, R., Lemley, M. A. 2015; 101 (1): 137-189

    View details for Web of Science ID 000364800300004

  • Antitrust Arbitration and Illinois Brick IOWA LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A., Leslie, C. R. 2015; 100 (5): 2115-2133

    View details for Web of Science ID 000357752400010

  • Our Divided Patent System UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO LAW REVIEW Allison, J. R., Lemley, M. A., Schwartz, D. L. 2015; 82 (3): 1073-1154

    View details for Web of Science ID 000362464300001

  • Faith-Based Intellectual Property UCLA LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A. 2015; 62 (5): 1328-1346

    View details for Web of Science ID 000359825100004

  • IP IN A WORLD WITHOUT SCARCITY NEW YORK UNIVERSITY LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A. 2015; 90 (2): 460-515

    View details for Web of Science ID 000354418200002

  • Does "Public Use" Mean the Same Thing It Did Last Year? TEXAS LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A. 2015; 93 (5): 1119-1136

    View details for Web of Science ID 000354074200002

  • ANTITRUST ARBITRATION AND MERGER APPROVAL NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A., Leslie, C. R. 2015; 110 (1): 1-62

    View details for Web of Science ID 000368285700001

  • Understanding the Realities of Modern Patent Litigation TEXAS LAW REVIEW Allison, J. R., Lemley, M. A., Schwartz, D. L. 2014; 92 (7): 1769-1801

    View details for Web of Science ID 000338092200002

  • THE AUDIENCE IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY INFRINGEMENT MICHIGAN LAW REVIEW Fromer, J. C., Lemley, M. A. 2014; 112 (7): 1251-1304

    View details for Web of Science ID 000335803800002

  • DOES FAMILIARITY BREED CONTEMPT AMONG JUDGES DECIDING PATENT CASES? STANFORD LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A., Li, S., Urban, J. M. 2014; 66 (5): 1121-1157

    View details for Web of Science ID 000336469600003

  • WHY DO JURIES DECIDE IF PATENTS ARE VALID? VIRGINIA LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A. 2013; 99 (8): 1673-1736

    View details for Web of Science ID 000328714800002

  • MISSING THE FOREST FOR THE TROLLS COLUMBIA LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A., Melamed, A. D. 2013; 113 (8): 2117-2190

    View details for Web of Science ID 000328440800002

  • Do applicant patent citations matter? RESEARCH POLICY Cotropia, C. A., Lemley, M. A., Sampat, B. 2013; 42 (4): 844-854

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.respol.2013.01.003

    View details for Web of Science ID 000317877600002

  • SOFTWARE PATENTS AND THE RETURN OF FUNCTIONAL CLAIMING WISCONSIN LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A. 2013: 905-964

    View details for Web of Science ID 000344641400001

  • The Fractioning of Patent Law Symposium on the Connection between Intellectual Property and the Common Law Lemley, M. A. CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS. 2013: 504–513

    View details for Web of Science ID 000325752400023

  • THE REGULATORY TURN IN IP HARVARD JOURNAL OF LAW AND PUBLIC POLICY Lemley, M. A. 2013; 36 (1): 109-115

    View details for Web of Science ID 000314324600011

  • PATENT HOLDUP, THE ITC, AND THE PUBLIC INTEREST CORNELL LAW REVIEW Chien, C. V., Lemley, M. A. 2012; 98 (1): 1-45

    View details for Web of Science ID 000311880000001

  • EXAMINER CHARACTERISTICS AND PATENT OFFICE OUTCOMES REVIEW OF ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS Lemley, M. A., Sampat, B. 2012; 94 (3): 817-827

    View details for Web of Science ID 000307127600014

  • Is Pepsi Really a Substitute for Coke? Market Definition in Antitrust and IP GEORGETOWN LAW JOURNAL Lemley, M. A., McKenna, M. P. 2012; 100 (6): 2055-2117

    View details for Web of Science ID 000307524000006

  • Contracting Around Liability Rules CALIFORNIA LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A. 2012; 100 (2): 463-486

    View details for Web of Science ID 000302275200006

  • THE MYTH OF THE SOLE INVENTOR MICHIGAN LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A. 2012; 110 (5): 709-760

    View details for Web of Science ID 000300756700001

  • POINT OF NOVELTY NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A. 2011; 105 (3): 1253-1280

    View details for Web of Science ID 000209030000006

  • LIFE AFTER BILSKI STANFORD LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A., Risch, M., Sichelman, T., Wagner, R. P. 2011; 63 (6): 1315-1347

    View details for Web of Science ID 000292576100004

  • Patent Quality and Settlement Among Repeat Patent Litigants GEORGETOWN LAW JOURNAL Allison, J. R., Lemley, M. A., Walker, J. 2011; 99 (3): 677-712

    View details for Web of Science ID 000288836000001

  • Who Chooses Open-Source Software? UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A., Shafir, Z. 2011; 78 (1): 139-164

    View details for Web of Science ID 000290920900008

  • EARNING EXCLUSIVITY: GENERIC DRUG INCENTIVES AND THE HATCH-WAXMAN ACT ANTITRUST LAW JOURNAL Hemphill, C. S., Lemley, M. A. 2011; 77 (3): 947-989

    View details for Web of Science ID 000308377400009

  • The surprising virtues of treating trade secrets as IP rights Workshop on Trade Secrecy/Conference of the Engelberg Center on Innovation Law and Policy Lemley, M. A. EDWARD ELGAR PUBLISHING LTD. 2011: 109–139

    View details for Web of Science ID 000299771300006

  • OWNING MARK(ET)S MICHIGAN LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A., McKenna, M. P. 2010; 109 (2): 137-189

    View details for Web of Science ID 000283967900001

  • OUR BIZARRE SYSTEM FOR PROVING COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT JOURNAL OF THE COPYRIGHT SOCIETY OF THE USA Lemley, M. A. 2010; 57 (4): 719-742

    View details for Web of Science ID 000287280100002

  • IRRELEVANT CONFUSION STANFORD LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A., McKenna, M. 2010; 62 (2): 413-454

    View details for Web of Science ID 000275388900003

  • EXTREME VALUE OR TROLLS ON TOP? THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MOST-LITIGATED PATENTS UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA LAW REVIEW Allison, J. R., Lemley, M. A., Walker, J. 2009; 158 (1): 1-37

    View details for Web of Science ID 000272666500001

  • FENCE POSTS OR SIGN POSTS? RETHINKING PATENT CLAIM CONSTRUCTION UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA LAW REVIEW Burk, D. L., Lemley, M. A. 2009; 157 (6): 1743-1799

    View details for Web of Science ID 000268432200005

  • Antitrust Law and Regulatory Gaming TEXAS LAW REVIEW Dogan, S. L., Lemley, M. A. 2009; 87 (4): 685-729

    View details for Web of Science ID 000264904100001

  • THE SURPRISING VIRTUES OF TREATING TRADE SECRETS AS IP RIGHTS STANFORD LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A. 2008; 61 (2): 311-353

    View details for Web of Science ID 000263311500003

  • Categorical analysis in antitrust jurisprudence IOWA LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A., Leslie, C. R. 2008; 93 (4): 1207-1270

    View details for Web of Science ID 000257834900001

  • Rethinking patent law's presumption of validity STANFORD LAW REVIEW Lichtman, D., Lemley, M. A. 2007; 60 (1): 45-72

    View details for Web of Science ID 000251182500002

  • Grounding trademark law through trademark use IOWA LAW REVIEW Dogan, S. L., Lemley, M. A. 2007; 92 (5): 1669-1701

    View details for Web of Science ID 000249457200003

  • Patent holdup and royalty stacking TEXAS LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A., Shapiro, C. 2007; 85 (7): 1991-2049

    View details for Web of Science ID 000249052200010

  • Should patent infringement require proof of copying? MICHIGAN LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A. 2007; 105 (7): 1525-1536

    View details for Web of Science ID 000247630400010

  • Should property or liability rules govern information? TEXAS LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A., Weiser, P. J. 2007; 85 (4): 783-841

    View details for Web of Science ID 000245345700001

  • The (unnoticed) demise of the doctrine of equivalents STANFORD LAW REVIEW Allison, J. R., Lemley, M. A. 2007; 59 (4): 955-984

    View details for Web of Science ID 000245296100005

  • Terms of use MINNESOTA LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A. 2006; 91 (2): 459-483

    View details for Web of Science ID 000243288300004

  • UNILATERAL REFUSALS TO LICENSE JOURNAL OF COMPETITION LAW & ECONOMICS Hovenkamp, H., Janis, M. D., Lemley, M. A. 2006; 2 (1): 1-42

    View details for DOI 10.1093/joclec/nhl002

    View details for Web of Science ID 000208133400001

  • What the right of publicity can learn from trademark law STANFORD LAW REVIEW Dogan, S. L., Lemley, M. A. 2006; 58 (4): 1161-1220

    View details for Web of Science ID 000236699400003

  • Patenting nanotechnology STANFORD LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A. 2005; 58 (2): 601-630

    Abstract

    Universities and companies are rushing to the patent office in record numbers to patent nanotechnology inventions. This rush to the patent office is so significant that many law firms have established nanotechnology practice groups and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has now created a new technology class designed to track nanotechnology products. Three big differences between the emerging science of nanotechnology and other inventions make the role of patents more significant in this arena than elsewhere. First, this is almost the first new field in a century in which the basic ideas are being patented at the outset. In many of the most important fields of invention over the past century--computer hardware, software, the Internet, even biotechnology--the basic building blocks of the field were either unpatented or the patents were made available to all users by government regulation. In others, patents were delayed by interferences for so long that the industry developed free from their influence. In nanotechnology, by contrast, companies and universities alike are patenting early and often. A second factor distinguishing nanotechnology is its unique cross-industry structure. Unlike other new industries, in which the patentees are largely actual or at least potential participants in the market, a significant number of nanotechnology patentees will own rights not just in the industry in which they participate, but in other industries as well. This overlap may significantly affect their incentives to license the patents. Finally, a large number of the basic nanotechnology patents have been issued to universities, which have become far more active in patenting in the last twenty-five years. While universities have no direct incentive to restrict competition, their interests may or may not align with the optimal implementation of building-block nanotechnology inventions. The result is a nascent market in which a patent thicket is in theory a serious risk. Whether it will prove a problem in practice depends in large part on how efficient the licensing market turns out to be.

    View details for Web of Science ID 000234233000005

    View details for PubMedID 16395838

  • Probabilistic patents JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVES Lemley, M. A., Shapiro, C. 2005; 19 (2): 75-98

    View details for Web of Science ID 000229551800005

  • Property, intellectual property, and free riding TEXAS LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A. 2005; 83 (4): 1031-1075

    View details for Web of Science ID 000228148800002

  • Reducing digital copyright infringement without restricting innovation STANFORD LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A., Reese, R. A. 2004; 56 (6): 1345-1434

    View details for Web of Science ID 000222433400001

  • Valuable patents GEORGETOWN LAW JOURNAL Allison, J. R., Lemley, M. A., Moore, K. A., Trunkey, R. D. 2004; 92 (3): 435-479

    View details for Web of Science ID 000224284300001

  • Balancing ease and accuracy in assessing pharmaceutical exclusion payments MINNESOTA LAW REVIEW HOVENKAMP, H., Janis, M. D., Lemley, M. A. 2004; 88 (3): 712-721

    View details for Web of Science ID 000189033500006

  • Ending abuse of patent continuations BOSTON UNIVERSITY LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A., Moore, K. A. 2004; 84 (1): 63-?

    View details for Web of Science ID 000220224400002

  • Policy levers in patent law VIRGINIA LAW REVIEW Burk, D. L., Lemley, M. A. 2003; 89 (7): 1575-1696

    View details for Web of Science ID 000186590900001

  • Are the US patent priority rules really necessary? HASTINGS LAW JOURNAL Lemley, M. A., Chien, C. V. 2003; 54 (5): 1299-1333

    View details for Web of Science ID 000186251100001

  • Anticompetitive settlement of intellectual property disputes MINNESOTA LAW REVIEW HOVENKAMP, H., Janis, M., Lemley, M. A. 2003; 87 (6): 1719-1766

    View details for Web of Science ID 000183650000002

  • Biotechnology's uncertainty principle PERSPECTIVES ON PROPERTIES OF THE HUMAN GENOME PROJECT Burk, D. L., Lemley, M. A. 2003; 50: 305-353

    View details for Web of Science ID 000237631600016

    View details for PubMedID 14714698

  • The growing complexity of the United States patent system BOSTON UNIVERSITY LAW REVIEW Allison, J. R., Lemley, M. A. 2002; 82 (1): 77-144

    View details for Web of Science ID 000175042100002

  • The end of end-to-end: Preserving the architecture of the Internet in the broadband era UCLA LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A., Lessig, L. 2001; 48 (4): 925-972

    View details for Web of Science ID 000168115600003

  • Who's patenting what? An empirical exploration of patent prosecution Conference on Taking Stock: the Law and Economics of Intellectual Property Rights Allison, J. R., Lemley, M. A. VANDERBILT LAW REVIEW. 2000: 2099–2174

    View details for Web of Science ID 000165810300016

  • Private property Conference on Cyberspace and Privacy - A New Legal Paradigm Lemley, M. A. STANFORD UNIV, STANFORD LAW SCHOOL. 2000: 1545–57

    View details for Web of Science ID 000089374800014

  • Encouraging software reuse STANFORD LAW REVIEW Lemley, M. A., OBRIEN, D. W. 1997; 49 (2): 255-304

    View details for Web of Science ID A1997WT67700002

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2944-0582