Apple may have its work cut out for it to preserve last Friday's $1.05 billion trial victory over Samsung. But by clearing the billion-dollar threshold and sending Samsung home empty-handed, Apple's trial team sent a clear message to competitors, generated massive publicity for the company, and sparked a nationwide conversation about patents, competition, and technology.

Having successfully sued Google for patent infringement, Vringo filed a claim on Thursday against Microsoft for violating the same patents that it acquired from the search engine Lycos.

The Sixth Circuit caught flack from tort reformers six months ago for green-lighting class claims over mold-ridden Whirlpool washing machines. Now the Seventh Circuit has given class action critics more to stew over in a parallel case against Sears--and possibly complicated efforts by Whirlpool's lawyers at Mayer Brown to win Supreme Court relief.

It's almost impossible to exaggerate the obstacles Barclays' lawyers faced in the $13 billion Lehman 'windfall' litigation: claims by three different plaintiffs represented by three powerhouse firms; a judge openly skeptical of the bank's core argument; and a disjointed trial schedule that stretched over six months. Yet in the end the bank prevailed in upholding a deal that helped shape the unfolding of the great recession.

If we keep going at this rate, there soon won't be a prominent securities litigator in New York who's not involved in a suit challenging the bond insurer's restructuring. The banks' suit--the third in as many months against MBIA--is led by Sullivan & Cromwell, but S&C is not alone on the complaint. Not by a long shot.

When regulators are forced to defend an outcome as soon as it's announced, and when your client's detractors are fuming with anger, you know you've done something right.

A coalition of technology companies led by Android developer Google Inc. publicly stepped up to back Samsung Electronics at the Federal Circuit.

The courts have largely ground to a halt for the holidays, though there's still time for few more decisions in 2012 that could ensure a happy or gloomy New Year for the litigators involved. In the meantime, here are some of the biggest rulings we're looking forward to in 2013.