H. Mark Lyon is Chair of the firm’s Artificial Intelligence and Automated Systems Practice Group, and brings nearly three decades of experience as a trial lawyer and trusted corporate legal advisor to companies in a wide range of technology areas.

As practice group chair, Mr. Lyon has extensive experience representing and advising clients on the legal, ethical, regulatory, and policy issues arising from emerging technologies like artificial intelligence. He regularly acts as a strategic advisor to clients in their development of AI-related products and services, their acquisition and sale of technology-related businesses, and in their development of appropriate legal and ethical policies and procedures pertaining to AI-focused business operations. In the rapidly advancing area of automated and autonomous vehicles, Mr. Lyon has guided clients through the numerous hurdles of federal and state regulations and requirements for vehicle testing and deployment, as well as advising and assisting clients in exercising their voice before key agencies and legislative bodies. As a member of the firm’s Privacy, Cyber Security and Consumer Protection practice group, Mr. Lyon brings a global focus to help his clients develop, implement, and audit appropriate policies and procedures to comply with applicable data privacy and cyber security regulations. In addition, as a member of the firm’s Intellectual Property practice, he assists clients in the acquisition, protection and enforcement of strategic intellectual property rights.

When litigation and other disputes arise, Mr. Lyon serves as lead trial and appellate counsel in patent, trade secret, copyright, trademark, privacy, products liability, bankruptcy, and other complex litigation matters. He has successfully led litigation teams in matters involving sophisticated technologies ranging from electronic devices, artificial intelligence and other computer software, wireless telecommunications, and semiconductor products to medical devices and pharmaceuticals. While Mr. Lyon has tried to verdict and won both jury and bench trials, a consistent hallmark has been the strategic use of targeted motion practice to achieve success prior to trial. Indeed, on multiple occasions, the Daily Journal has named Mr. Lyon as a top IP litigator for his handling of high-stakes, high-profile litigation matters.

As a result of his work in AI and AV, he was recently named a “Top Artificial Intelligence Lawyer” by the Daily Journal and a “California Trailblazer” by the Recorder.  In addition, on multiple occasions, the Daily Journal has named Mr. Lyon a top IP litigator for his handling of high-stakes, high-profile litigation matters.

Through his career, Mr. Lyon has represented a long list of technology-focused clients, including a major Silicon Valley-based global consumer electronics manufacturer, Intel, Facebook, Oculus VR, Medtronic, St. Jude Medical, GCL-Poly Energy Holdings Limited, Sharp Corporation, VMware, Square, Red Hat, and Novell, just to name a few.

Mr. Lyon is a frequent author and lecturer on matters relating to technology, particularly those involving machine learning, artificial intelligence and automation, intellectual property, data privacy, and disputes before the U.S. International Trade Commission. In addition, Mr. Lyon is an active member of The IEEE Global Initiative for Ethical Considerations in Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Systems as well as the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence. He is a former co-chair of the Patent Litigation Committee of the Federal Circuit Bar Association.

Mr. Lyon obtained his J.D., summa cum laude, from Santa Clara University and holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Michigan State University.  He is a member of Pi Mu Epsilon (a national mathematics honorary), Eta Kappa Nu (a national electrical engineering honorary), and Alpha Sigma Nu (a national Jesuit honorary).  Prior to becoming a lawyer, Mr. Lyon worked for Lockheed Missiles & Space Systems, Inc., in the Space Systems and Astronautics Divisions, performing systems design and analysis for RF and laser satellite telecommunications and computer and laser networks.

Mr. Lyon is admitted to practice in California and Washington, D.C., as well as various district and appellate courts across the country, and has had particular success defending cases in the plaintiff-favorite Eastern District of Texas.