Jason Sheasby built his career on discipline, focus, and a deep respect for preparation. He grew up in San Bernardino County, California, and went on to study philosophy at Pomona College, graduating summa cum laude and earning Phi Beta Kappa honors. He later earned his law degree from Harvard Law School, graduating cum laude. Even in law school, he was drawn to the mechanics of litigation and helped revise Federal Practice & Procedure, a leading civil procedure treatise.
For more than twenty-five years, Jason has been a partner at Irell & Manella LLP in Los Angeles. He focuses on complex intellectual property litigation. His work often involves cutting-edge technology, including semiconductors, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices. In recent years, he has tried more than nine high-stakes cases and won each one. Many of those verdicts were in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
Jason has been named Litigator of the Year by The American Lawyer and recognized repeatedly by Chambers, Law360, Managing IP, and the Daily Journal. He is also a co-founder of TORL Biotherapeutics, a company developing antibody therapies for high-unmet-need cancers. In addition, he serves on the board of trustees for Pomona College.
His career reflects steady growth, intellectual curiosity, and the ability to perform under pressure. Success for him has never been about one verdict. It has been about consistency over decades.
Q&A: Jason Sheasby on Success
What does success mean to you after more than two decades in high-stakes litigation?
Success is consistency. Anyone can have one good trial. Real success is showing up again and again and delivering results under pressure. In the past few years, I tried multiple complex cases back-to-back. Different industries. Different courts. Different technologies. Winning those cases required endurance. It also required preparation at a level that leaves very little to chance.
For me, success is building a record that stands up over time.
How did your education shape the way you approach your career?
Studying philosophy at Pomona College trained me to think clearly. Philosophy forces you to break down arguments to their core. That skill is essential in litigation. Jurors do not reward confusion. They reward clarity.
At Harvard Law School, I focused heavily on civil procedure. Working on Federal Practice & Procedure helped me understand how cases really move through court. That foundation gave me confidence early in my career. It also helped me see that litigation is as much about structure and timing as it is about persuasion.
You have handled cases involving semiconductors, 5G standards, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices. How do you master so many technical fields?
I approach new technology the same way every time. I start with first principles. If I do not understand something, I break it down. I read. I ask questions. I spend time with engineers and scientists. I try to teach the concept back to them in simple language. If I cannot explain it clearly, I do not understand it well enough.
Early in my career, I handled a medicinal chemistry case. I had to get comfortable with complex science quickly. That experience taught me not to fear technical depth. You can learn almost anything if you put in the time.
What was a defining stretch in your recent career?
The past few years have been intense. In one period, I tried multiple cases within weeks of each other. There was a contract case involving memory supply agreements. There were patent cases against major semiconductor companies. There were retrials on damages.
Each case required a different strategy. In one, we had to preserve a prior verdict. In another, we had to explain 5G standards to a jury. In another, we faced allegations of breach in a pharmaceutical royalty dispute.
Managing that pace required discipline. I treat preparation like training for a marathon. You cannot rely on adrenaline alone.
You have secured verdicts in the hundreds of millions of dollars. How do you handle that level of pressure?
Pressure is part of the job. When a case involves $445 million or $240 million, the stakes are obvious. But I try not to focus on the number. I focus on the work. If you obsess over the scale, you lose clarity.
I build routines before trial. Early mornings. Structured preparation. Clear delegation within the team. I also make sure younger lawyers get meaningful responsibility. A strong team reduces individual stress.
You also co-founded a biotech company. How does that connect to your legal career?
Much of my legal work involves protecting innovation. Founding TORL Biotherapeutics felt like another way to support innovation. The company focuses on antibody therapies for cancers with high unmet need. Seeing research move toward clinical trials gives a different perspective on intellectual property. It reminds me that patents are not abstract. They protect real work that can improve lives.
What advice would you give someone who wants long-term success in a demanding field?
Do not chase recognition. Chase competence. If you become very good at your craft, recognition tends to follow. Also, do not avoid hard problems. The cases that seem overwhelming at first often become defining experiences.
Finally, think long term. I have been at the same firm for more than twenty-five years. Depth matters. Relationships matter. Repetition matters. Success is rarely sudden. It is built case by case, year by year.