When Google faced a threat from a competitor that sought to block it from selling its Nest Smart Thermostats in the U.S., the technology company tapped IP litigators at Allen & Overy to defend it in multiple trials before the International Trade Commission.

While Google isn’t a stranger to A&O or its IP litigation practice, the two entities weren’t always well-acquainted in the U.S. It’s been a similar story for other longtime clients of the firm, such as Meta, which the firm recently represented in multiple proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB).