McKool Smith's Theodore Stevenson, left, and Kirkland & Ellis' Gregory Arovas, right. Photos: Courtesy/David Handschuh/ALM

Ericsson and Samsung are bringing legal bazookas with them to a Thursday showdown over which court can adjudicate their 4G and 5G licensing dispute: the Eastern District of Texas or the Wuhan Intermediate Court of China.

Ericsson has lined up McKool Smith and has amicus backing from Paul Michel, a former chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Samsung's team includes Kirkland & Ellis; Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan; Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider; and Gillam & Smith. For good measure, Samsung has added a declaration from a different former Chief Judge, Randall Rader of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.