Press is a trial attorney who has litigated a wide variety of complex business cases, including class actions, in federal and state courts throughout the United States. He has represented international and national clients in numerous industries including pharmaceuticals, software, chemicals, telecom, and retail. He achieves success for his clients in litigation by being ready, willing and able to take those cases to trial.
Press is willing to roll up his sleeves to learn his clients’ business and to always seek results consistent with his clients’ business goals.
Press has been named by Business North Carolina as one of its Legal Elite in both Antitrust and Litigation, and, in 2015, was named to its Hall of Fame in Antitrust.
Press has taught Pre-Trial Litigation at Duke Law School and is a recognized authority on various legal issues related to complex litigation. He frequently lectures and writes on the subjects of Antitrust, Unfair Trade Practices, Trade Secrets, Litigation Practice, and Intellectual Property.
Presentations
- Key Employees are Leaving: What Do I Do Now (and What Should I Have Done)? CLE Symposium for South Carolina In-House Counsel; February 21, 2012
- Using the Principles of Project Management to Improve Delivery of Legal Services, Womble Carlyle CLE Symposium for Top North Carolina Legal Counsel; May 5, 2011
- Legal Quick Hit on Trade Secrets, Association of Corporate Counsel; May 7, 2008
- Why Do We Have a Business Court? North Carolina Bar Association, Litigation Section, Greensboro, NC; May 4, 2007.
- Company Secrets at Risk, CLE Presentation, Cisco Systems, Research Triangle Park, NC; 10/26/06.
- Large Law Firm Sales & Marketing: Ethical Issues, Real and Imagined, Duke University School of Law; March 3, 2005.
- When and Why Commercial Alliances Sour, LRM Symposium on Pharma Law; May 3, 2004
Professional Activities
- North Carolina Bar Association
- American Bar Association; Antitrust Section, Litigation Section
- Senior Lecturing Fellow, Duke Law School
Honors and Awards
- Chambers USA Ranked Lawyer, Litigation: General Commercial, North Carolina (2003 - Present)
- Named the Best Lawyers® "Lawyer of the Year" in Bet-the-Company Litigation - Raleigh (2011), Litigation: Banking & Finance - Raleigh (2012, 2022), Litigation: Securities - Raleigh (2015), Antitrust Law - Raleigh (2017, 2019, 2023), and Litigation: Antitrust - Raleigh (2016, 2018, 2020, 2023)
- Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America (BL Rankings), Antitrust Law and Commercial Litigation (2007 - Present); Bet-the-Company Litigation (2010 - Present); Litigation: Antitrust, Litigation: Banking & Finance, Litigation: IP, and Litigation: Securities (2011 - Present)
- Super Lawyers Honoree, North Carolina Super Lawyers Magazine (Thomson Reuters) (2006 - Present)
- North Carolina Pro Bono Honor Society (2021)
Experience
Any result the lawyer or law firm may have achieved on behalf of clients in other matters does not necessarily indicate similar results can be obtained for other clients.
- Led a trial team in 2015 that obtained a $26.3 million compensatory damages verdict (trebled in the judgment to over $79 million) for a US-based software company in an action alleging fraud, breach of contract, and unfair and deceptive trade practices against a UK software company. SAS Institute Inc. v. World Programming Ltd. (USDC, E.D.N.C.). Affirmed on appeal.
- Led trial team in 2018 that obtained a $17.6 million damages verdict for plaintiff chemical manufacturer in a breach of contract action after first obtaining reversal on appeal in 2017 of summary judgment in favor of defendant. Bayer CropScience LP v. Albemarle Corp. (US Ct. of App., 4th Cir.).
- Obtained a complete defense verdict in 2016 for a German-based client in an action concerning a chemical fire that destroyed an industrial facility in Detroit. Diversified Chemical Technologies v. Rhein Chemie Corp. (USDC, E.D. Mich.).
- Represented international chemical company in an arbitration in 2015 resulting in a no-liability termination of a long-term sourcing contract from the People’s Republic of China.
- Obtained summary judgment for multi-national pharmaceutical company in a dispute concerning a biopharmaceutical manufacturing agreement. GlaxoSmithKline LP v. Dendreon Corp. (NC Bus. Ct.).
