Jonathan Tuminaro, Ph.D.

Overview

Jonathan Tuminaro is a director in Sterne Kessler’s Trial & Appellate and Electronics Practice Groups. He is an experienced trial lawyer who has won jury verdicts and decisions in the U.S. district courts, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). A registered patent attorney with a Ph.D. in physics, Jonathan can easily pick up a broad range of complex technologies and has represented some of the leading high-tech companies in patent litigation matters relating to telecommunications, network security, medical devices, LCD flat-panel displays, computer graphics, automotive technologies, GPS location-based service, and wireless power transfer.

Jonathan is particularly well known for his extensive experience handling economics issues in patent litigation. He has defended patents that have led to judgments worth nearly $25M and has defended against patents where the damages were alleged to exceed $100M.

Jonathan has an excellent track record and has been recognized by leading publications. In 2024 and 2025, Best Lawyers listed Jonathan in the “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America.” And Super Lawyers named Jonathan a “Rising Star – Washington D.C.” every year from 2015 to 2019.

Before becoming a lawyer, Jonathan received his bachelor’s degree in physics and mathematics from Canisius College. While at Canisius, Jonathan was a member of the 1995-1996 men’s basketball team, which won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament and earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament. In September 2024, Jonathan was enshrined in the Canisius Sports Hall of Fame as a member of the ’95-’96 men’s basketball team. He earned a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Maryland. Jonathan received his J.D. from George Mason University School of Law (now the Antonin Scalia Law School – George Mason University).

Representative Matters

Representative District Court Matters:

• Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals v. Airgas Therapeutics (on behalf of plaintiff, won a $9.5M jury verdict in a patent-infringement suit relating to Mallinckrodt’s INOmax (nitric oxide for inhalation) drug product and associated nitric oxide delivery device) (D. Del.)
• Alpha Modus v. Mood Media (on behalf of defendant, obtained stipulated dismissal after filing a 101 motion to dismiss all seven asserted patents) (W.D. Tex.)
• TRUSTID, Inc. v. Next Caller, Inc. (on behalf of plaintiff, obtained jury verdict of willful false advertising including both compensatory and punitive damages) (D. Del.)
• MiiCs & Partners America, LLC et al. v. Funai Electric Co., Ltd. et al. (on behalf of defendant, obtained final judgment in favor of defendant after the court granted defendant’s motion to exclude the testimony of plaintiff’s damages expert two days before a scheduled jury trial) (D. Del.)
• Proven Networks, LLC v. Palo Alto Networks Inc. (on behalf of defendant, obtained dismissal of district court case after filing petitions for inter partes review at PTAB) (E.D. Tex.)

Representative PTAB Matters:

• Meta Platforms, Inc. v. SitNet LLC (on behalf of petitioner, secured final written decisions finding all challenged claims—56 total claims—unpatentable in four IPRs)
• Palo Alto Networks v. Proven Networks (on behalf of petitioner, prepared and filed multiple IPRs, leading to settlement)
• Palo Alto Networks v. Sable Networks (on behalf of petitioner, prepared and filed multiple IPRs, leading to settlement)
• Telebrands Corp. v. Tinnus Enterprises, LLC (on behalf of patent owner, successfully defended five patents that protected the Bunch O Balloons product—one of the best-selling toys in the United States)
• Ford Motor Co. v. Versata Development Group, Inc. (on behalf of patent owner, successfully obtained institution denials on all 14 PTAB challenges filed by petitioner)

Representative ITC Matters:

• Certain Road Construction Machines and Components Thereof, Inv. No. 337-TA-1088 (represented respondent in a case relating to road milling machines)
• Certain Road Milling Machines and Components Thereof, Inv. No. 337-TA-1067 (represented complainant in a case relating to road milling machines)
• Certain Basketball Backboard Components and Products Containing the Same, Inv. No. 337-TA-1040 (represented complainant in a case relating to basketball backboards)
• Certain Computing or Graphics Systems, Components Thereof, and Vehicles Containing Same, Inv. No. 337-TA-984 (represented a respondent automaker in a case involving computer graphics in automobiles)
• Certain Antivenom Compositions and Products Containing the Same, Inv. No. 337-TA-903 (represented respondent in a case involving snake antivenom)

Education

• J.D., George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School
• Ph.D., Physics, University of Maryland
• M.S., Physics, University of Maryland
• B.S., Physics and Mathematics, Canisius College, magna cum laude