The global semiconductor landscape has shifted from a specialized hardware niche to the center of geopolitical and economic strategy. With the continued implementation of the CHIPS Act and the intensifying race for AI-capable silicon, the legal pressures on chip designers and manufacturers have never been higher. To meet this demand, Shield & Signal is pleased to welcome Dr. Aris Thorne as a Partner in our Palo Alto office.

Aris brings a rare combination of a PhD in Electrical Engineering and over fifteen years of lead counsel experience in Section 337 investigations before the ITC. His arrival marks a strategic expansion of our firm’s ability to handle "bet-the-company" patent litigation. Unlike traditional litigators who rely solely on expert witnesses, Aris’s ability to dive into the RTL (Register Transfer Level) code and physical layer architecture allows us to build technical defenses that are often overlooked.

As supply chains fracture and domestic manufacturing scales up, we anticipate a significant increase in trade secret disputes and cross-border IP enforcement. Aris will head our new "Advanced Nodes Task Force," focusing on the specific litigation risks associated with 3nm processes and beyond. This expansion ensures that Shield & Signal remains the first call for companies navigating the intersection of complex hardware and global trade law.