Alexandra D. Valenti

Alexandra has experience representing clients in all stages of litigation and arbitration, from investigation through hearings, trial, and appeal. Her recent representations include:

Representative Life Sciences and Pharmaceuticals Experience

• Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories in litigation concerning its generic equivalent to Suboxone®, a product used to treat opioid use disorder. After the district court granted a preliminary injunction halting its generic sales, Dr. Reddy’s successfully appealed to the Federal Circuit, allowing it to continue sales of its product. Alexandra also represented Dr. Reddy’s in a related inter partes review in which the PTAB invalidated as anticipated all but one of the challenged claims—a decision that was later affirmed by the Federal Circuit. The team also successfully added counterclaims for violation of US antitrust laws that survived multiple motions to dismiss. The matter settled favorably before trial.
• Zealand Pharma A/S, a biotechnology research company, in an ICC arbitration concerning the company’s right to milestone and royalty payments for a peptide therapeutic under a licensing and collaboration agreement. The matter was resolved with a mutually acceptable settlement.
• Actavis Laboratories in a trial victory over Tris Pharma in Delaware federal court in a case relating to Actavis’s generic version of Quillivant XR® (methylphenidate hydrochloride).
• Teva Pharmaceuticals in a patent infringement action filed by Otsuka relating to Teva’s filing of abbreviated new drug applications for generic versions of Otsuka’s drug Abilify® (aripiprazole). Teva defeated a motion for a temporary restraining order, allowing Teva to launch its products. The case against Teva settled favorably before trial.

Representative Technology Experience

• Continental Automotive Systems in patent litigation concerning brake control systems and methods. The matter settled favorably at the pleadings stage.
• IBM as a third-party defendant in patent infringement suits before the United States Court of Federal Claims, filed against the federal government, regarding computer systems and methods for broadcasting disaster warnings.
• The Gillette Company in litigation filed against Dollar Shave Club, Inc., in which Gillette asserted infringement of a patent directed to razor blade coatings. After succeeding in a related ICC arbitration regarding whether a prior patent license between Gillette and DSC’s suppliers covered the accused products, the matter settled favorably before trial in the district court.

Pro Bono

Alexandra has an active pro bono practice. Alexandra worked with the ACLU of Massachusetts (ACLUM) to challenge the application of a Massachusetts state prison policy to firm pro bono client, Geoffrey Pesce. The policy categorically denied opioid agonist treatment to inmates who, like Geoffrey, suffer from opioid use disorder (OUD). Alexandra successfully argued a motion for preliminary injunction, which ensured that Geoffrey would have continued access to his physician-prescribed methadone treatment for OUD during a short incarceration. In its decision granting the motion, the Massachusetts federal court found that Geoffrey was likely to prevail on both his claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Eighth Amendment because the prison policy implies a “pretext for some discriminatory motive” and would deviate from the standard of care by “ignoring treatment prescriptions given to Geoffrey by his doctors.” In a later ruling awarding Goodwin and ACLUM attorneys’ fees, the court described the case as “involving constitutional issues of broad concern to the treatment of drug addiction in correctional facilities.” Alexandra has since successfully represented numerous clients in similar matters, all of which have resulted in settlements requiring that treatment be provided throughout the clients’ incarceration.

In 2016, Alexandra gained significant trial experience during a six-month secondment with the Kings County (Brooklyn) District Attorney’s Office, where she served as an assistant district attorney. During this time, she prosecuted numerous felony cases on behalf of the state of New York, including a bench trial, a jury trial, and several hearings. In other work with the Kings County District Attorney’s Office, Alexandra successfully briefed and argued an appeal before the New York Supreme Court Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department, ensuring a criminal defendant convicted of robbery remained in prison.

Prior to law school, Alexandra was a legislative aide for former Representative Peter T. King (NY) in the US House of Representatives.

Alexandra has been recognized for excellence in patent litigation by the IAM Patent 1000. IAM described her as “[g]rowing in stature and supremely confident in her trial skills,” noting that she “isn’t afraid of litigating outside her pharmaceutical stronghold and makes a significant contribution to [Goodwin’s] non-life sciences practice.” Most recently, IAM reported that Alexandra is “turning heads as an up and comer,” garnering “excellent references” including that “[s]he demonstrates mastery of the facts of her cases and delivers successful strategies, while running everything to the highest professional standards” and that “[s]he is extremely polished and a superb litigator.”

Alexandra was recognized in Benchmark Litigation’s 40 & Under Hot List for 2021-2023.

Alexandra was recognized as a Rising Star (2019, 2021) and a Notable Practitioner (2021) by Managing IP.

In 2021 and 2023, Alexandra was a recommended lawyer for Patent litigation: full coverage by The Legal 500 USA.