We represented Intuitive Surgical, Inc., the pioneer of the Da Vinci surgical robot, in one of the country’s largest bankruptcy cases involving Steward Health Care Systems, a for-profit hospital system that operated 33 hospitals across the United States and additional facilities internationally.
Our focus was on safeguarding Intuitive’s interests in robotic surgery systems leased to various hospitals acquired by Steward, which the bankruptcy trustee was attempting to sell to new owners. This complex matter encompassed a range of legal issues related to the underlying equipment leases, software updates, and essential parts and tools necessary for operating the robots. Key legal considerations included antitrust, patent law, trade secrets, copyright, UCC lease regulations, and federal bankruptcy law.
To date, we have engaged with potential buyers to either re-lease the systems or recover Intuitive’s physical and intellectual property, ensuring the protection of our client’s interests throughout this challenging process.
