Colleen Bal is an intellectual property litigator in the San Francisco office of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where she specializes in complex IP and commercial cases for Internet and other technology companies. Since joining the firm more than 20 years ago, Colleen has amassed tremendous experience across a broad range of copyright, Internet, advertising, contract, trademark, and trade secret matters. Her strategic thinking and development of novel legal theories make her a highly sought-after litigator with an impressive record of victories for her clients. She handles matters in federal and state court, including class actions and multi-district litigations.
Colleen frequently represents clients in high-profile copyright, trade secret, and advertising matters. She litigates demanding matters involving complex legal questions and technologies such as the takedown and anti-circumvention provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, the copyrightability of software and other useful works, the scope of protection afforded to online services under the Communications Decency Act, preemption of state law claims under the Uniform Trade Secrets Act, and Lanham Act standing requirements.
Colleen also handles all manner of contract disputes focusing on technology transactions.
Colleen is among the few litigators with significant experience in the burgeoning field of privacy law. She has successfully handled matters for Go Daddy, Google, and others under the Wiretap Act, Video Privacy Protection Act, Stored Communications Act, Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, and related state law claims involving advertising, data collection, and telephone recording practices.
In addition, Colleen has had significant success in antitrust actions. She represented Live Nation and Clear Channel in a 23 class action multi-district litigation involving alleged inflated prices of concert tickets to consumers. She worked to secure an initial summary judgment ruling rejecting the plaintiffs' damages tolling theory and then an ultimate summary judgment ruling on the merits of the case, in which the court dismissed the plaintiffs' monopolization, attempted monopolization, and related claims. She also recently won the dismissal of antitrust and RICO claims involving an alleged conspiracy between participants in the semiconductor industry.
Colleen is co-chair of the firm's Nominating Committee, sits on the board of directors of the WSGR Foundation, and is a member of the firm's Pro Bono Committee. She was a recipient of the WSGR 2014 Pro Bono Award.
