Eric Elliff is a member of Morrison & Foerster LLP’s Litigation Department and is Managing Partner of the firm’s Denver office. He was born in 1961 in Sterling, Colorado and received his B.S. from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1984. Mr. Elliff minored in economics and majored in civil engineering with an emphasis on structural design and construction management. He received his J.D. from the University of Colorado in 1987 (Order of the Coif), where he was a member of the University of Colorado Law Review . He joined Morrison & Foerster’s Denver office in 1987.

Mr. Elliff is an accomplished trial lawyer who has represented both foreign and domestic clients in state and federal courts across the country. He has special expertise in areas relating to complex commercial litigation, procedure, evidence, and intellectual property. He has led or participated in numerous bench and jury trials throughout the United States. His experience includes the following significant matters:

• Gates Rubber Company v. Bando Chemical Industries, et. al. (U.S. Dist. Ct. Colo.)
  Mr. Elliff represented a Japanese manufacturer in what was at the time one of the largest intellectual property cases ever filed in Colorado. Issues included defense of copyright, trade secret, patent and Lanham Act claims. The case was resolved on favorable terms.
• Pumpkin Masters v. Restoration Hardware, Inc. (U.S. Dist. Ct. Colo.)
  Mr. Elliff represented Restoration Hardware in a patent infringement case involving pumpkin carving tools.
• In re Certain Excimer Lasers (U.S. International Trade Commission)
  Mr. Elliff represented a manufacturer of ophthalmic surgical equipment in a patent infringement matter before the International Trade Commission.
• Caliper Technologies v. Aclara (U.S. Dist. Ct. N.D. Cal.)
  Mr. Elliff assisted in the defense of a maker of microfluidics devices in a case involving patent and trade secret claims.
• Integrated Information Systems, Inc. v. Armbruster (Colo. Dist. Ct.)
  Mr. Elliff represented an information technology company in obtaining injunctive relief against the defendant in a case involving trade secret theft and unfair competition.
• Jato Communications v. Allied Riser Communications (Colo. Dist. Ct.)
  Mr. Elliff defended a computer and information networking company
• against claims of unfair competition and trade secret theft. The plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed the case prior to trial.
• Kelley v. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (Colo. Dist. Ct.)
  Mr. Elliff successfully resolved a lawsuit against an international book publisher by a plaintiff claiming breach of a distribution agreement.
• Indian Motorcycle (Nevada, Colorado, California)
  Mr. Elliff represented this client in various actions involving trademarks, contracts and licensing issues in connection with the successful revival of this famous motorcycle brand.
• EchoStar v. Broadcast Innovation (U.S. Dist. Ct. Colo.)
  Counsel for a leading provider of satellite television broadcasting services in a patent infringement action.
• Storage Technology v. Quantum Corp. (U.S. Dist. Ct. Colo.)
  Counsel for a computer hardware manufacturer in a patent infringement action involving data storage technology.
• International Channel Network v. PTV (U.S. Dist. Ct. Colo.)
  Counsel for producer of Chinese language television programming in breach of contract action.

In addition to the matters listed above, Mr. Elliff also has extensive experience representing clients in a wide variety of commercial disputes regarding contracts, real property and insurance.

Mr. Elliff is a member of the American, Colorado and Denver Bar Associations and is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers. He currently is serving on the board of Scenic America, a Washington, D.C. based non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the nation’s natural scenic beauty.

Mr. Elliff is admitted to practice in Colorado and New York.