Christopher Bruno

Phone: 312-598-2613
Email: Chris@ipfdalaw.com

Chris Bruno is a seasoned patent litigator with 15+ years of experience representing branded, biosimilar, and generic pharmaceutical companies in high-stakes disputes. Known for his courtroom command and strategic creativity, Chris has guided clients to victory at every level, from bench trials and IPRs to the Federal Circuit and U.S. Supreme Court. Clients praise Chris for “tak[ing] the time to understand his clients’ needs,” “provid[ing] sound, comprehensive and business-focused legal advice,” and “prioritiz[ing] building long-term relationships over short-term gains.”

Pharmaceutical Patent Litigation

Chris has co-first-chaired a Hatch-Waxman trial, direct- and cross-examined inventors and expert witnesses, and championed impactful case strategies through discovery in many pharmaceutical cases, including matters involving antibiotics, oncology drugs, sleep aids, ocular drops, topical treatments, and biologics. He was among the first to litigate under the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act (BPCIA).

His litigation experience and success spans the full range of forums, including district courts, the ITC, the PTAB, the Federal Circuit, and the Supreme Court. Known for sharp deposition skills and creative procedural tactics, Chris often finds unconventional paths to favorable outcomes, including through early dispositive motions and tailored discovery strategies.

Over his career, Chris has litigated patents covering 20 different drugs, including including Arazlo® (tazarotene), Bryhali® (halobetasol), Cubicin® (daptomycin), Doribax® (doripenem), Duobrii® (halobetasol/tazarotene), Gemzar® (gemcitabine), Glumetza® (metformin), Hetlioz® (tasimelteon), Jublia® (efinaconazole), Lotemax SM® (loteprednol), Lunesta® (eszopiclone), Myrbetriq® (mirabegron), Reclast® (zoledronic acid), Remicade® (infliximab), Sensipar® (cinacalcet), Tecfidera® (dimethyl fumarate), Topicort® (desoximetasone), Uceris® (budesonide), Xifaxan® (rifaximin), and Zometa® (zoledronic acid).

With the FDA and Beyond

Chris has leveraged his experience litigating complex patent infringement cases to counsel clients in regulatory disputes. Chris has been involved in significant litigation and administrative action adverse to the FDA, raising novel questions about the agency’s authority and decision making. Where Chris’s clients were dissatisfied in FDA’s action, Chris assisted them in court challenges, including in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

Broader IP and Litigation Practice

Beyond pharmaceuticals, Chris has represented patentees in immunology, medical device, agro, and agritech technology disputes. And in addition to his life-sciences focused work, Chris has also litigated computing systems for clients defending against patent infringement, trade secret misappropriation. and copyright infringement cases, as well as on behalf of both trademark owners and those accused of trademark infringement in numerous industries, including financial services, health insurance, and non-profit education.

Outside IP, Chris has litigated disputes in a variety of subject matters, including healthcare, products liability, tax, defamation, APA challenges, employment class-action, and breach of contract. Chris also maintains an active and varied pro bono practice as appointed counsel by federal courts of appeal on behalf of prisoners in criminal matters.

Clerkships and Background

Chris served as law clerk to the Hon. Todd M. Hughes for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the Hon. Gail J. Standish for the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Before joining Upadhye Tang, Chris was a partner at an AmLaw 25 law firm.

Recognition

Patexia, Top Hatch-Waxman Attorney, 2023 (Top 250), 2024 (Top 100).
IAM Patent 1000 – The World’s Leading Patent Practitioners, 2023–2025.
The Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Washington, DC, 2024–2025.
SuperLawyers, Washington D.C. Rising Star, 2014–2015, 2024–2025.
Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll, 2011–2014, 2019–2024.

Education

The George Washington University Law School, J.D., with high honors, 2009
The George Washington University, B.A., summa cum laude, 2006

Bar Admissions

District of Columbia
New York

Professional Engagement

Beyond his case work, Chris serves as a thought leader in numerous capacities in the intellectual property community. In addition to authoring more than 50 IP-related articles and regularly posting regarding Federal Circuit updates on LinkedIn, Chris serves on several committees and as a speaker in various forums. For example, Chris is currently the Chair of the Federal Circuit Bar Association’s Hatch-Waxman/BPCIA subcommittee and of ACI’s 5th Annual Passport to Proficiency on the Essentials of Hatch-Waxman and BPCIA. He also regularly attends ACI’s Paragraph IV conference.

Outside the Office

Chris is an avid traveler, having visited with his wife six of the seven continents in a single worldwide trip spanning 13 destinations in 35 days. He missed out on Antarctica only due to weather, and vows to attempt the trip again someday. To support his travel habit, he is also a credit card and loyalty points enthusiast, leveraging blogs and technology to find the best deals.

Chris is an ASA 104 certified sailor, although he would probably place himself more in the realm of “cocktail day sailing with the occasional docking.” He also enjoys cooking, and in more recent years, has discovered a passion for locally sustainable and pollinator-promoting gardening.