Apple's legal bill for Samsung patent fight tops $60m

In a court document filed on Thursday, Apple revealed that it has run up over $60m in billings by outside legal counsel in its patent-infringement battle against Samsung, with a goodly chunk of that owed to its lead legal team from the law firm of Morrison & Foerster. "Under any measure, this was an exceptional case," Apple …

[ammabamma]

How refreshing

> Morrison & Foerster informally refers to itself as "MoFo"

At least they have an honest appraisal about their role as patent lawyers...

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: How refreshing

I like a firm that is self-aware enough to get mofo.com.

[Rampant Spaniel]

Re: How refreshing

I wonder if they are involved in this year's stupid patent case I.e. Non vs the company currently renting the name polaroid over making a camera that is also small and white.

[Rampant Spaniel]

Re: How refreshing

sorry, Nikon not non :) Phones auto correct got the better of me again.

[Tom 7]

If it costs $60M to prove your case

you havent got one

[ammabamma]

Re: If it costs $60M to prove your case

Not such a bad deal though if you consider it as "purchasing a legal precedent to harm your largest competitor".

[Yet Another Commentard]

How can an exceptional case

Have similar cases upon which fees can be compared? Surely it's exceptional, or it's not.

[Anonymous Coward]

I wonder if the lawyers at Morrison & Foerster

were punching their emails into those tiny little iPhone screen keyboards, while the Samsung lawyers had a nice big fat Note 2 to write on?

They probably threw their iPhones away and bought phablets as soon as the trial was over.

[Rampant Spaniel]

Re: I wonder if the lawyers at Morrison & Foerster

I'm sure Apple will innovate a larger screen phone next year! Then expect a lawsuit against htc, samsung, LG et al for copying their phablet.

[Arctic fox]

"substantial discounts" Hm..yes.

Cupertino do after all by their legal services in bulk.

[william 10]

Can Mr Cook say this in the Europe where he would be in contempt of court:-)

"Given Samsung's blatant disregard of Apple's IP rights," Cook & Co. claim, "Apple should not be forced to bear the full expense of prosecuting its claims."

This as usual, is a bit rich given apple US ban for blatant disregard of Samsung's IP rights, that required Mr Obama to issue an executive order in-order to prevent the US courts enforcement of their order.

[Awil Onmearse]

$60M

Is that $60M including the brown envelopes?

[Anonymous Coward]

Why is it that Apple have spent $60m on legal fees, Samsung have probably spent about the same, yet their phones still look pretty much identical?

[Intractable Potsherd]

I really don't know how anyone even cursorily interested in phones can say that. iPhones are much chunkier in appearance than most other manufacturers, within the natural constraints of the device itself. Let's face it, even cars are difficult to differentiate from each other these days if you can't see the lights or the badges.