Sonal N. Mehta
Sonal N. Mehta
Partner
- Partner-in-Charge, Palo Alto Office
- Vice Chair, Litigation/Controversy Department
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Sonal N. Mehta is a trial lawyer representing many of the world’s leading technology and life sciences companies in high-stakes disputes. Ms. Mehta is regularly called upon by clients—ranging from Silicon Valley’s largest companies to cutting-edge startups—to serve as both lead counsel in the courtroom and trusted advisor in the boardroom. She has nearly 25 years of experience across all aspects of trial and appellate practice, including federal jury and bench trials, state court jury and bench trials, international arbitrations, and appeals before the federal and California appellate courts. Ms. Mehta litigates complex cases across substantive areas of the law, including antitrust, commercial, class action, false advertising, IP (patent, copyright, trade secret), privacy, and government-facing litigation, among others. While she is ready to take her cases to trial and win, she has a long track record of success at the dispositive motions stage.
Outside of the courtroom, Ms. Mehta serves on the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit’s Attorney Advisory Council, the Board of Directors for the Northern District of California’s Practice Program, on the Northern District of California’s Patent Local Rules Attorney Advisory Committee, and recently concluded a term as a lawyer representative to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Council.
Prior to joining WilmerHale, Ms. Mehta was a partner at another large international law firm, where she built her practice representing major technology sector companies in high-stakes patent litigation at the trial and appellate levels. She then joined a litigation boutique firm based in San Francisco, where she continued to serve as lead counsel for leading technology and life sciences clients in patent and commercial litigation matters.
Recognition
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Top 10 Women in Litigation
Benchmark Litigation
2021–2022
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Leading Lawyer for Intellectual Property: Patents
Chambers USA, Chambers Global
2016–2025, 2023–2024
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Leading Lawyer
The Legal 500
2023–2024
- Regularly recognized by Chambers USA Guide in California and nationwide, with sources saying that “she is an excellent advocate with strong judgment and she really thinks critically about what issues to push” and “is a superstar—well known in the California area and extremely nimble in oral argument.”
- Named to Benchmark Litigation’s elite Top 10 Women in Litigation list in 2021 and 2022.
- Recognized in the 2023 and 2024 edition of Chambers Global in the category of intellectual property: patents.
- Named to the Daily Journal's inaugural list of Leading Commercial Litigators (2023-2024) and recognized as a Top Intellectual Property Lawyer (2022–2023).
- Named to the Lawdragon 500 Global IP Lawyers list.
- Selected as San Francisco Attorney of the Year across practice areas and named the California Intellectual Property Litigator of the Year in 2021. In 2020, she was shortlisted for California – Intellectual Property Litigation Attorney of the Year. She was also recognized by Benchmark Litigation as a Benchmark Top 250 Women in Litigation in 2020–2024, a 2024 "Litigation Star", a 2018 Future Star, and included on its Under 40 Hotlist in 2016–2021.
- Named an IP Star and was listed among the Top 250 Women in IP globally by Managing IP in 2016–2024.
- Selected as a Daily Journal Top IP Lawyer in California (2017 and 2022) and as a Top Woman Lawyer (2020); named to its Top 40 Under 40 list (2016).
- Named San Jose Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers in America for patent litigation (2020, 2022 and 2024), patent law (2020 and 2024) and intellectual property litigation (2023–2024); recognized as a leading practitioner in the areas of intellectual property litigation (2017–2025), patent litigation (2016–2025) and patent law (2020–2025).
- Listed among the 2015, 2016 and 2022 Women Leaders in Tech Law and a 2012 “Fast Track” Lawyer in California by The Recorder.
- Recognized by IAM Patent 1000 in 2013–2025 with sources commenting, "Mehta does not falter when the stakes are high, regularly advocating for industry leaders embroiled in complex litigation."
- Named a Rising Star for intellectual property in 2015 by
- Regularly recognized by The Legal 500 United States for patent litigation: full coverage.
- Named to the 40 Under 40 list in 2012 by San Francisco Business Times and Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal.
- Recognized in the 2013–2023 editions of Northern California Super Lawyers.
- Named to the Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America list.
Insights & News
Credentials
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Education
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JD, University of California, Berkeley School of Law, 2002
Editor-in-Chief, Berkeley Technology Law Journal
Certificate in Law and Technology
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BA, Political Science, University of California, Berkeley, 1998
With honors
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Admissions
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California
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US District Court for the Northern District of California
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US District Court for the Southern District of California
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US District Court for the Central District of California
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US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
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US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
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US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
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Clerkships
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The Hon. Paul R. Michel, US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, 2003 - 2004
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Credentials
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Education
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JD, University of California, Berkeley School of Law, 2002
Editor-in-Chief, Berkeley Technology Law Journal
Certificate in Law and Technology
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BA, Political Science, University of California, Berkeley, 1998
With honors
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Admissions
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California
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US District Court for the Northern District of California
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US District Court for the Southern District of California
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US District Court for the Central District of California
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US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
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US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
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US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
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Clerkships
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The Hon. Paul R. Michel, US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, 2003 - 2004
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