U.S. District Judge William Alsup of the Northern District of California has awarded $5.9 million in "exceptional case" fees against Finjan Inc. in its patent dispute with Juniper Networks Inc.

Judge William Alsup, of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Photo: Jason Doiy/ALM

The judge also took the unusual step of calling out Finjan's former counsel from Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel by name and warning his judicial colleagues about their conduct.

Alsup found the case exceptional in January, saying Finjan presented a damages case "fiasco" that "wasted a great deal of everyone's time and energy" in a 2018 trial, and that it committed "unforced errors" in the run-up to a 2019 sequel. On Monday he awarded the full $5.9 million in fees recommended by a special master.