Pedersen & Houpt Wins High-Stakes Intellectual Property Case, Safeguarding iCONN Systems, LLC

CHICAGO, March 28, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Pedersen & Houpt, a Chicago-based law firm, successfully defended iCONN Systems, LLC, headquartered in Lombard, Illinois (Case No. 08-CH-15396). The company specializes in engineered interconnect product solutions. Plaintiff Conxall Corp. of Villa Park, IL claimed misappropriation of trade secrets against iCONN and six of its employees, and sought an eight-figure compensatory and punitive damage award.  In addition, four of these individual defendants were sued for breach of contract related to confidentiality. The products in question, cable assemblies and panel mount connectors, are vital components of sophisticated, self-contained breathing apparatuses critical to the safety of fire fighters and miners.

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After a five-week trial involving the testimony of 24 witnesses, including six experts, and thousands of designated exhibits, a 12-person jury returned a verdict in favor of defendant iCONN and its six employees.  Rich Regole, President and CEO of iCONN, stated, "Our entire enterprise was at risk over this five-year pending litigation. The meticulous investigation completed by Pedersen & Houpt made it clear to the jury that plaintiff's allegations were false.  Choosing the right legal advisor safeguarded our company, its shareholders and our valuable employees."

"Defending and protecting our clients through high-stakes advocacy is at the core of what we do," said Marc Janser, Managing Partner of Pedersen & Houpt.  "Commitment to our clients and their businesses is our foundation."

Lead counsel for the case, Stan Sneeringer, is the head of Pedersen & Houpt's intellectual property practice. Sneeringer explained, "When Pedersen & Houpt was hired by iCONN, the plaintiff was pursuing substantial punitive damages, and we knew this would be a challenging case. But after a thorough investigation of the facts, we established and confirmed that our client had done nothing wrong.  A potential bet-the-business disaster was turned into a complete victory."

Pedersen & Houpt is a Chicago-based, full-service business law firm. Pedersen is focused on serving its clients' needs in the areas of corporate & business counseling, intellectual property, real estate & financing, litigation & dispute resolution, labor & employment law, creditors' rights, restructuring & bankruptcy, and wealth preservation. The firm's attorneys provide clients with efficient, cost-effective, and strategic solutions designed to meet the clients' goals and objectives. To learn more, visit www.pedersenhoupt.com.

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