Houston Complex Commercial Litigation Firm AZA Wins Bankruptcy Rulings for Versata FZ, LLC

AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 18, 2011 -- The Houston complex commercial litigation law firm of Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing P.C. recently won important rulings for firm client Versata FZ, LLC, that protect the company's intellectual property rights in computer-aided design software.

AZA lawyers Demetrios Anaipakos and Kinan Romman won a two-day September trial in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Texas on behalf of Versata, a Dubai-based company that owns the intellectual property of Austin-based Think3. In the ruling, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge H. Christopher Mott of Austin found that Versata is the sole owner of the contested Think3 software. The judge also ruled that an Italian bankruptcy proceeding based on a Think3 branch located in that country is not recognized as the proper forum for disposition of Think3 debt.

"We are very happy with the rulings. An Italian bankruptcy trustee had asked the U.S. court to declare Italy was the proper place for these questions, and Versata is very pleased that effort failed," says Mr. Anaipakos, a founding member of Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing P.C., also known as AZA.

In addition to not recognizing the Italian proceedings, the Austin court ruled that it maintains jurisdiction over the Italian trustee who asked for the trial. The court also ruled that Versata is the exclusive owner worldwide (excluding only China) of all right, title and interest in and to all of the intellectual property of Think3. China was excluded by the court because it was also excluded in the Versata-Think3 purchase contract in 2010.

The case that included the property rights ruling is Case No. 11-11252, and the Italian jurisdiction ruling is in Case No. 11-11925. Both cases are in the Western District of Texas.

Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing P.C., or AZA, is a Houston-based law firm that is home to true courtroom lawyers with a formidable track record in complex commercial litigation, including energy, intellectual property, securities fraud, construction, and business dispute cases. AZA is one of only 32 firms in the U.S. to be recognized as "awesome opponents" in a nationwide poll of corporate general counsel who were asked to name the law firms they hope their companies never have to face in court. In fact, AZA has been hired on many occasions by the same companies the firm has prevailed against at trial.