Overview
(September 22, 2026 – Chicago) - Steptoe secured a complete post-trial victory for client American Axle & Manufacturing in its long-running patent dispute with Neapco, confirming a jury verdict that found Neapco infringed American Axle’s patent rights and that American Axle's patent was valid, and awarded all reasonable royalty damages sought at trial.
Following the verdict, Neapco sought to overturn the jury's findings through a renewed motion for judgment as a matter of law and new trial, arguing that the evidence presented at trial was insufficient to support the verdict. On September 22, 2026, Judge Gregory B. Williams of the US District Court for the District of Delaware rejected those arguments and denied Neapco's post-trial motion, affirming the jury's verdict and damages award.
The ruling reinforces the strength of the trial record developed by Steptoe's team and marks another important chapter in a years-long patent battle involving highly specialized automotive technology. By prevailing both before the jury and in the subsequent post-trial proceedings, Steptoe secured a decisive litigation victory for American Axle and preserved the company's favorable judgment against one of its competitors, Neapco.
The Steptoe team representing American Axle on remand is led by Jay Nuttall and includes partners John Abramic, Katherine Tellez, and Robert Kappers.
About Steptoe
In more than 110 years of practice, Steptoe has earned an international reputation for vigorous representation of clients and innovative thinking before governmental agencies, successful advocacy in litigation and arbitration, and creative and practical advice in structuring business transactions. Steptoe has more than 500 lawyers and other professional staff across offices in Beijing, Brussels, Chicago, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, DC. For more information, visit www.steptoe.com.
