Joseph Re scored a $466.8 million award for Masimo Corp. by keeping his case simple — going light on scientific terminology and foregoing many of the client's patent claims against Philips Electronics North America Corp. — in Delaware federal court last year.

As in other patent cases, Re said, he embraced streamlining.

“That's when lawyers get into trouble — when there's too many balls in the air,” said Re, a partner in Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear's Irvine, California, office.