How Sheppard Mullin beat US government in $170 million airport case
Sheppard Mullin achieved a significant legal victory for SecurityPoint Holdings after a lengthy 14-year battle – including two trials – against the United States. On May 2, 2025, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims awarded SecurityPoint $170 million, ruling that the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) had infringed on SecurityPoint’s patent involving a method for moving and processing trays using carts at airport security checkpoints.
In an interview with Managing IP, Sheppard Mullin partner Brad Graveline discussed the path to victory despite delayed proceedings and the task of establishing validity and demonstrating widespread infringement.
Graveline discussed the significance of the award for companies that believe the government is using their intellectual property. “The case demonstrates that if the government takes your IP, there is a mechanism to enforce your IP rights and obtain a large damages award,” he said.
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