Industries

Robotics

Robotics is a global industry being transformed by embodied AI: machines that perceive, reason, and act in the real world.

Our cross-disciplinary team represents companies building, deploying, and investing in robotic and automated systems on the product counseling, intellectual property, disputes, transactions, and government-facing matters shaping the industry.

Counsel in significant trade secrets disputes spanning autonomous flight and humanoid robotics

AI practice recognized as a Global Market Leader by Chambers Global 2026 and ranked Band 1 by Chambers USA 2025

Defending employers in workplace safety and ergonomics litigation arising from robotics and automated systems

Defended the first FTC inspection of an algorithmic system, resolved with no enforcement action after a two-year investigation

Overview
Experience
People
Accolades
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Related Capabilities

Overview

The Robotics Industry Group brings the firm’s litigation, regulatory, national security, employment, government contracts, and transactional strengths together for the companies developing, deploying, and investing in machines that act in the physical world.

The development and deployment of robotics are accelerating, and the legal issues are evolving with the technology. Robotics matters cut across traditional practice areas—intellectual property, product and data regulation, liability, employment, national security, and corporate transactions. Our group advises across the sector, from industrial and humanoid robots to autonomous vehicles, drones and other uncrewed systems, surgical and medical robotics, and space systems, and the sensing, simulation, compute, and neural-interface technologies that enable them. Drawing on the firm’s Chambers-ranked Artificial Intelligence Practice Group and more than 100 partners across offices in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, we represent technology companies, manufacturers, deployers, boards, and investors throughout the robotics lifecycle.

OUR CAPABILITIES

We litigate the trade secret and patent disputes that decide competitive position in robotics hardware markets, running parallel proceedings at the ITC and in the federal district courts, defending against exclusion orders and opposing preliminary injunctions, and running portfolio strategy. Our team includes seasoned trial lawyers and patent attorneys with technical backgrounds. Many of our lawyers hold advanced degrees in science and engineering, which allows them to understand and effectively communicate complex technical issues.

Building on the firm’s market-leading AI practice, we counsel established enterprises and emerging technology companies on product strategy, governance, and the regulatory obligations that apply to automated and advanced AI systems integrated into physical systems. We also advise on the data these systems learn from and generate, including on compliance with global AI-related laws and regulations, ethical and safety standards, and global privacy, cybersecurity, and consumer protection frameworks.

The firm’s technology transactions, M&A, private equity, and capital markets platforms represent acquirers, targets, investors, and boards in acquisitions, strategic and growth investments, public offerings, joint ventures, and major deployment and procurement arrangements. We also structure commercial arrangements, including Robot-as-a-Service (RaaS) and other subscription models, deployment and integration agreements, licensing and data rights, and the allocation of liability between developer and deployer.

Experience

Intellectual Property, Technology, and Talent Disputes

Representations include:

SharkNinja: Won ITC case in highly publicized 4+ year patent battle against iRobot over robotic vacuum cleaners, dubbed the “Robot Wars,” finding no violation of 4 of 5 patents.
Representing a leading technology manufacturer in trade secrets litigation involving humanoid robotics.
Representing a leading technology company in a patent infringement case involving artificial intelligence applications integrated into robotics devices.
Represented an advanced aircraft developer in the defense of patent and trade secret claims brought by a competitor, defeating a motion for preliminary injunction and resolving the matter favorably before trial.
Representing a robotics manufacturer in patent infringement litigation against a competitor involving autonomous industrial cleaning robots, with patents asserted in both directions.
Secured a trial victory for a global technology company in a breach of contract dispute involving warehouse robotics.
Representing a major medical device manufacturer in patent litigation involving implantable devices incorporating machine learning and other AI-based technologies.

Embodied AI, Product, and Regulatory

Representations include:

Counseling frontier AI labs on the development of physical AI models.
Counseling on the development and deployment of connected and on-vehicle AI-enabled technologies.
Advised leading autonomous vehicle developers on the regulatory and commercial issues raised by deploying automated driving systems.
Advising a Middle East government client on the regulatory framework for importing and operating autonomous vehicles, including the establishment of a new autonomous vehicle regulatory authority.
Advising automotive manufacturers and suppliers on vehicle cybersecurity and software-update regulation and the management systems it requires.
Advising multinational manufacturers on the revised European product liability regime and its treatment of software and AI-enabled products.
Advising a global technology company on the regulatory frameworks governing robotics deployment across Asia-Pacific markets.
Advising a client on regulatory requirements and considerations for autonomous vehicles.

Product Liability and Safety

Representations include:

Representing a leading technology company in post-trial proceedings and appeals challenging a $243 million verdict arising from claims about its driver-assistance technology.

Workforce and Deployment

Representations include:

Defending employers in litigation involving workplace safety and ergonomics claims arising from robotics and automated systems.

Government Contracts, National Security and Cross-Border

Representations include:

Represented a drone company in responding to an information request from a government agency.

Transactions and Investments

Representations include:

Represented a Fortune 100 company in its cross-border acquisition of a developer of AI-based machine vision technology.
Represented a private equity firm in its strategic investment in a global automation and robotics solutions provider.
Represented a global technology company in its acquisition of a developer of robotic safety software.
Advised on a joint venture for one of the world’s largest announced deployments of construction automation.
Advised on the antitrust aspects of a merger involving consumer robotics.
Represented a major medical device manufacturer in licensing negotiations involving diagnostic products incorporating neural networks and other AI-based technologies.