WASHINGTON, July 11 — A legal heavyweight is stepping into the ring for one of the most closely watched technology disputes of the year. Mark Selwyn, a partner at the law firm Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, known widely as WilmerHale, is leading the charge for Apple in its case against OpenAI, a fight that centers on intellectual property and the boundaries of artificial intelligence. The case was filed on January 10, 2025.
Apple is seeking an injunction and damages. For Selwyn, this is familiar territory.
He has represented Apple before, most notably in a 2018 patent dispute with Qualcomm. Selwyn specializes in intellectual property litigation. He earned his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School in 1998.
At WilmerHale, he is one of more than 1,000 attorneys spread across offices in 12 cities worldwide. The firm itself was founded in 2004, born from the merger of two law firms: Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering and Hale and Dorr.
The Apple v. OpenAI Case
The lawsuit against OpenAI, filed in January of last year, is not just another patent squabble. It touches on the core of what artificial intelligence companies are building and how they are building it. Apple, a company that has long prided itself on tight control over its hardware and software ecosystem, is now asserting that OpenAI has crossed a line.
Selwyn is the named partner leading the team. The firm is seeking an injunction, which would effectively force OpenAI to stop whatever practice Apple claims is infringing, as well as damages for past harm.
The case is still in its early stages, with no trial date set. Legal observers expect the discovery phase to be lengthy and contentious, given the technical nature of the claims and the amount of money at stake. For context, WilmerHale’s involvement signals the seriousness of the matter.
The firm has a long history of handling high-stakes litigation for some of the largest companies in the world. With over 1,000 attorneys, it has the resources to take on a case that could redefine how AI companies train their models and use existing intellectual property.
What It Means for the Industry
This case is being watched closely by the technology sector. If Apple wins, it could set a precedent that forces AI developers to more carefully license the data and patents they use. If OpenAI prevails, it could embolden other AI firms to push forward with less concern about the intellectual property of established tech giants.
The human side of this story is about the people building these systems and the lawyers who are shaping the rules. Selwyn, a Harvard Law graduate, is now at the center of that effort.
His team at WilmerHale will be responsible for crafting the legal arguments that could determine how artificial intelligence is developed for years to come. The case was filed on January 10, 2025, and as of July 2026, it remains in litigation. No ruling has been issued.
The next major milestone will likely be a hearing on motions to dismiss, which could narrow the scope of the case or set it on a path to trial. For now, the legal world is watching Mark Selwyn and WilmerHale.
The firm, with its 12 offices and more than 1,000 attorneys, is prepared for a long fight. And for Apple, a company that has built its empire on innovation and intellectual property, this case is about more than just one lawsuit. It is about defending the boundaries of what belongs to whom in the age of artificial intelligence.
Sources
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