DALLAS – Attorneys from the Dallas trial law firm of Sayles Werbner successfully represented a law firm in a breach of contract lawsuit based on arguments that the now-closed firm is still entitled to revenue from a former client’s patent licensing program.

Sayles Werbner co-founder Mark S. Werbner represented the Jenkens & Gilchrist firm in claims against Austin, Texas-based software maker Forgent Networks Inc. The verdict delivered on July 23, 2009, in the 134th Civil District Court in Dallas County awarded $3.14 million in actual damages and $1.15 million in attorneys’ fees.

The breach of contract lawsuit hinged on an agreement between Jenkens & Gilchrist and Forgent (now known as Asure Software Inc.) in which Forgent agreed to pay the firm a percentage of fees from a patent licensing program. When the firm ceased operations two years ago, Forgent stopped paying the fees.

“When you boil it down, this lawsuit was about Forgent’s failure to keep a promise it made to the law firm,” Mr. Werbner says. “The jury in this case saw the dispute for what it was and came to the right decision, and that’s an enormous vindication for our client.”

Sayles Werbner maintains an international reputation as a proven trial law firm in complex business litigation, intellectual property matters, life-altering personal injury cases, product safety claims and practically every type of case that requires courtroom expertise. The firm’s work in a 2009 patent infringement lawsuit resulted in the largest intellectual property verdict in U.S. history.