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Case 6:20-cv-00636-ADA Document 99 Filed 04/09/21 Page 1 of 8
`
`IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
`FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
`WACO DIVISION
`
`DEMARAY LLC,
`
`Plaintiff
`
`v.
`
`SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD,
`SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS AMERICA,
`INC., SAMSUNG SEMICONDUCTOR,
`INC., and SAMSUNG AUSTIN
`SEMICONDUCTOR, LLC,
`
`Defendants.
`













`
`
`
`NO. 6:20-cv-636-ADA
`
`
`
`RESPONSE TO DEMARAY LLC’S MOTION FOR LEAVE TO FILE SUR-REPLY TO
`SAMSUNG’S MOTION TO TRANSFER VENUE
`
`

`

`Case 6:20-cv-00636-ADA Document 99 Filed 04/09/21 Page 2 of 8
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`Demaray LLC (“Demaray”) claims it needs to file an improper sur-reply in order to
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`respond to supposedly new evidence submitted with Samsung’s reply brief. Its request should be
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`denied because (1) the supposedly new evidence simply corroborates that witnesses identified by
`
`Demaray’s own corporate representative are located in NDCA and (2) the proposed sur-reply
`
`consists almost entirely of arguments that Demaray could have made in its opposition brief and
`
`that do not relate to the supposedly new evidence. Demaray is seeking to file a sur-reply not
`
`because of anything new in Samsung’s reply, but because it recognizes that the arguments made
`
`in its opposition brief are insufficient to defeat transfer. But even if considered on its merits, the
`
`proposed sur-reply does not provide grounds to deny Samsung’s motion. Taken together, NDCA
`
`is clearly the more convenient forum:
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` There are at least fifteen (15) witnesses in NDCA and zero (0) in WDTX;
`
`
`
`It is undisputed that the design and development of the accused Applied reactors occurs in
`
`NDCA; none of that work occurs in WDTX;
`
` Similarly, the Applied prior art system was designed and developed in NDCA, not in
`
`WDTX;
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` Several witnesses with unique and highly relevant knowledge regarding Samsung’s license
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`defense are in NDCA, but again, none are in WDTX; and
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` All that Demaray can point to is that the accused reactors are manufactured in Texas and
`
`that Samsung Austin uses the reactors in Texas, but Samsung is not accused of “making”
`
`the reactors and use by Samsung Austin is not in question; a location of any alleged
`
`infringement, however, does not equate to the location of relevant witnesses and evidence.
`
`Samsung’s Reply Evidence Is Not New Nor Is It Addressed By Demaray’s Proposed
`
`Sur-Reply. Plaintiff takes issue with the ‘new’ declaration and exhibits submitted with Samsung’s
`
`-1-
`
`
`

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`Case 6:20-cv-00636-ADA Document 99 Filed 04/09/21 Page 3 of 8
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`Reply, but ignores that most of these exhibits simply corroborate that the non-party witnesses that
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`Demaray’s own corporate representative identified are located in NDCA. As shown in Exhibit
`
`AW, at least fifteen (15) witnesses are in NDCA, the majority of whom are non-parties and require
`
`compulsory process, and zero (0) witnesses are in WDTX. Demaray claims it was not “afforded
`
`an opportunity to address” the relevance of these witnesses, but Demaray was aware of each when
`
`it filed its opposition brief because they were identified by Demaray’s own principal, Dr.
`
`Demaray. Demaray characterizes some of these witnesses (without specifically identifying which
`
`ones) as having “incidental roles in peripheral events occurring decades ago”, but this is nothing
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`more than unsupported attorney argument that they are “extraordinary unlikely to be witnesses at
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`trial.” Dkt. No. 91-1 at 1. Dr. Demaray had the opportunity to disclose each individual’s relevant
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`knowledge, and such disclosure could have potentially narrowed the list of trial witnesses. But
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`Demaray refused Samsung’s request to examine Dr. Demaray, and Demaray’s corporate
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`representative identified these individuals. Each is thus as likely a trial witness on Samsung’s prior
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`art system invalidity, licensing, standing/ownership, inventorship and inequitable conduct
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`defenses as Dr. Demaray himself absent evidence to the contrary.
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`Demaray’s proposed sur-reply is also not responsive to the evidence raised by Samsung’s
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`reply. Rather, Demaray proposes arguments and evidence it could have made, but did not, in its
`
`opposition. Indeed, Demaray’s proposed sur-reply was planned before Samsung even filed its
`
`reply. As the Court knows, Demaray provided a corporate representative, Brian Marcucci, for
`
`deposition instead of Dr. Demaray himself. Dkt. 61. The Court then ordered Mr. Marcucci to sit
`
`for a second deposition due to counsel’s improper instructions not to answer. Dkt. No. 82. At the
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`end of the second deposition, Demaray’s counsel redirected Mr. Marcucci on topics unrelated to
`
`Samsung’s examination, such as his search for patents assigned to Applied Materials containing
`
`-2-
`
`

`

`Case 6:20-cv-00636-ADA Document 99 Filed 04/09/21 Page 4 of 8
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`the words “Austin” and “PVD” to purportedly show that there are relevant witnesses in this district.
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`Ex. AL, 491:23-495:6. Four of Demaray’s proposed sur-reply exhibits were introduced by
`
`Demaray’s counsel at that deposition, a week before Samsung’s reply was even filed. Thus,
`
`Demaray moves for leave not to respond to “untimely” evidence, but to execute a planned strategy
`
`to submit evidence it failed to include in its opposition brief.1 Compare Demaray Exs. 27-28
`
`(Applied patents filed 25 years ago), Ex. 31 (Applied article), Ex. 32 (Advanced Energy website)
`
`with Exs. 10-13 identified in Marcucci Dep. (Ex. AL) at 491:4-495:6. The Court should not reward
`
`that maneuvering by allowing Demaray the last word on Samsung’s motion.
`
`The Sur-Reply Arguments Do Not Alter The Analysis Or Conclusion That Transfer
`
`is Appropriate. To the extent the Court accepts Demaray’s sur-reply, the new evidence and
`
`arguments therein do not affect the analysis that aside from considering the case’s originally set
`
`trial date, every factor weighs in favor of transfer. First, Demaray cannot substantiate why the
`
`individuals in Exhibit AW are not likely witnesses. Demaray argues, without support, that
`
`Samsung’s inventorship defense is “unalleged” and “speculative”. Not so. Demaray’s own sur-
`
`reply exhibit, Defendants’ invalidity contentions, confirms Demaray has been on notice of this
`
`defense since last December. Ex. 30 at 15-16. Next, even including the individuals from Corning
`
`(none of whom negotiated the license of the patents-in-suit from Symmorphix to AKT, and none
`
`of whom are located in WDTX), the witness count is still fifteen (15) in NDCA versus zero (0) in
`
`WDTX, and fourteen (14) to zero (0) if excluding party witnesses. Moreover, Demaray does not
`
`argue that any of the Corning individuals are willing witnesses or that they would be subject to
`
`
`1 Within thirty minutes of Samsung’s filing its reply, Demaray contacted Samsung indicating its
`intent to seek leave to file a sur-reply. Demaray filed its motion the next day while ignoring
`Samsung’s request to meet and confer about what purportedly new arguments and evidence
`Demaray sought to address. That practice is inconsistent with the letter and spirit of Local Rule
`CV-7(i), which requires a conference and good-faith attempt to resolve matters by agreement.
`
`-3-
`
`

`

`Case 6:20-cv-00636-ADA Document 99 Filed 04/09/21 Page 5 of 8
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`compulsory process from either the NDCA or WDTX court—they do not affect the analysis or
`
`conclusion. The availability of compulsory process still “weigh[s] heavily in favor of transfer when
`
`more third-party witnesses reside within the transferee venue than reside in the transferor venue.”
`
`In re Apple, Inc., 581 F. App’x 886, 889 (Fed. Cir. 2014).
`
`Next, Demaray’s reliance on Mr. Marcucci’s belated patent searches for “PVD” and
`
`“Austin” to speculate about witnesses with knowledge in this District is not credible. Dkt. 91, Ex.
`
`A at 3. Demaray knows that the accused Applied RMS PVD reactors were designed, developed
`
`and configured at Applied’s headquarters and Maydan Technology Center in NDCA. Demaray
`
`had the opportunity to depose Applied about where this work occurs, and whether any of it
`
`occurred in Austin. Demaray’s subpoena to Applied included topics on these very points. Ou Ex.
`
`AD (see, e.g.,Topics 4-5). Although the accused Applied RMS PVD reactors are commercially
`
`manufactured in Austin, the important fact is that such manufacturing only happens after the
`
`reactor is first built for customer demonstratives at Applied’s Maydan Technology Center in
`
`NDCA, where the individuals responsible for its design, development, initial build, and
`
`configuration (i.e., individuals within Keith Miller’s organization) are located. The patents Mr.
`
`Marcucci located do not suggest otherwise. Mr. Miller confirms that none of the named inventors
`
`listing Austin as their location design Applied’s PVD reactors. Miller Decl., ¶¶ 3-4.
`
`
`
`
`
`Mr. Miller also reaffirmed his prior testimony: the design,
`
`development, initial build and configuration of the accused Applied RMS PVD reactors occurs in
`
`NDCA, not in Austin; and there is no research and development work on these PVD reactors done
`
`in Austin. Id., ¶ 5. Design documents for those PVD reactors are also created and maintained by
`
`his organization in NDCA
`
`
`
`-4-
`
`

`

`Case 6:20-cv-00636-ADA Document 99 Filed 04/09/21 Page 6 of 8
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` Mr. Miller also refuted Demaray’s reliance on Applied patents to suggest
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`that prior art system witnesses are in Texas. Id., ¶7. Like the Applied systems accused of
`
`infringement, these prior art systems were also designed and developed in NDCA, including by
`
`former Symmorphix employees identified in Exhibit AW. Demaray’s proposed sur-reply does not
`
`identify or contend that there are actually any likely prior art trial witnesses in WDTX, nor can
`
`Demaray credibly assert that the inventors on these irrelevant patents would be such witnesses.
`
`Finally, Demaray’s proposed sur-reply revisits the same arguments regarding other
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`practicalities, court congestion, localized interest, and public interest factors that Demaray already
`
`raised in its opposition, and none of which respond to any “new” arguments or evidence in
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`Samsung’s reply. Notably, however, Demaray does not dispute that any localized interest of this
`
`district also exists in NDCA, or that NDCA has additional local interests not present in this district.
`
`Samsung and Applied both have a significant presence in NDCA, as the accused reactors are
`
`designed, developed, tested and configured in NDCA, and Samsung markets and sells products
`
`produced by the accused reactors in NDCA. Nor does Demaray dispute that California law governs
`
`significant disputed issues, including that Samsung is licensed under the SRA. No Court has found
`
`the SRA invalid, nor has Dr. Demaray, who was personally involved in the negotiations, claimed
`
`the license is invalid. Samsung expects witnesses from the AKT/Applied-side, including Don
`
`Kumamoto (located in NDCA), Kam Law (located in NDCA) and Donald Verplancken (located
`
`in Houston, but prefers to attend trial in NDCA) to testify to the intent of the parties in entering
`
`and modifying the license grant and rebut any claim by Demaray that the license grant is invalid.
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`Accordingly, Demaray’s motion for leave should be denied for at least these reasons.
`
`Samsung also respectfully renews its request for oral argument on its motion to transfer at
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`the Court’s convenience. Dkt. 86.
`
`-5-
`
`

`

`Case 6:20-cv-00636-ADA Document 99 Filed 04/09/21 Page 7 of 8
`
`Dated: April 2, 2021
`
`
`By: /s/ Yar R. Chaikovsky
`
`Brian C. Nash
`Texas Bar No. 24051103
`Brian.nash@pillsburylaw.com
`PILLSBURY WINTHROP SHAW
`PITTMAN LLP
`401 Congress Ave., Suite 1700
`Austin, Texas 78701-3797
`Phone: (512) 580-9629
`Fax: (512) 580-9601
`
`Yar R. Chaikovsky
`yarchaikovsky@paulhastings.com
`Philip Ou
`philipou@paulhastings.com
`Allan M. Soobert
`allansoobert@paulhastings.com
`Joseph J. Rumpler, II
`josephrumpler@paulhastings.com
`PAUL HASTINGS LLP
`1117 S. California Avenue
`Palo Alto, California 94304-1106
`Telephone:
`1(650) 320-1800
`Facsimile:
`1(650) 320-1900
`
`John M. Desmarais (pro hac vice)
`jdesmarais@desmaraisllp.com
`Yung-Hoon Ha (pro hac vice)
`yha@desmaraisllp.com
`Cosmin Maier (pro hac vice)
`cmaier@desmaraisllp.com
`Christian Dorman (pro hac vice)
`cdorman@desmaraisllp.com
`DESMARAIS LLP
`230 Park Avenue, 26th Floor
`New York, NY 10169
`Tel: (212) 351-3400
`Fax: (212) 351-3401
`
`Attorney for Samsung Defendants
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`-6-
`
`

`

`Case 6:20-cv-00636-ADA Document 99 Filed 04/09/21 Page 8 of 8
`
`
`
`CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
`
`I hereby certify that on April 2, 2021, I electronically filed the foregoing document with the
`
`Clerk of the Court using the CM/ECF system which will send notification of such filing via electronic
`
`mail to all counsel of record.
`
`
`
`/s/ Yar R. Chaikovsky
`Yar R. Chaikovsky
`
`-7-
`
`

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