Dr. Tyler James Sisk, a founding shareholder at Casimir Jones, S.C., was instrumental in the representation of Raffel Systems, LLC in the high-profile intellectual property litigation against Man Wah Holdings Ltd., which resulted in a $106.8 million jury verdict in June 2022. The case, Raffel Systems LLC v. Man Wah Holdings LTD Inc., centered on Man Wah’s alleged infringement of Raffel’s patents and trade dress for a multifunctional lighted cupholder used in motion furniture, as well as false patent marking. Tyler, together with a team from Michael Best & Friedrich LLP led by John C. Scheller, represented Raffel.

Dr. Sisk formulated and contributed to the legal strategy and filings in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, where the case was tried (Case No. 2:18-cv-01765), and was a vital member of the trial team securing Raffel’s successful jury verdict.  

As a patent attorney with a Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology and expertise in intellectual property law, Tyler provided specialized knowledge in patent prosecution and litigation, helping to build the case against Man Wah for willful patent infringement, trade dress misappropriation, and false marking. The jury’s verdict, which included $9.3 million in actual damages and $97.5 million in punitive damages, underscored the strength of Raffel’s claims, supported by the legal team’s efforts.

While the primary counsel spotlight often fell on John Scheller’s team from Michael Best, Tyler’s role at Casimir Jones was integral to the collaborative legal effort that secured this landmark verdict for Raffel, a small Wisconsin-based innovator, against a major Chinese furniture manufacturer.

Reports on the case can be found in the Milwaukee Business Journal and Furniture Today.