Call them the quiet underdogs of Silicon Valley. They make deals, forge partnerships, and soothe regulatory headaches. And should (when?) legal combat arises -- a patent dispute, let's say -- they are on the front line. They're lawyers. Tech lawyers. Starting during Google's early days, these legal eagles rose through the ranks before moving on to take prominent positions elsewhere in the industry. In some circles, they were jokingly called Google's "legal mafia." Maybe not, but their contributions to tech are indisputable.
PC makers aren't just losing to Apple. They're struggling on multiple fronts -- and things look gloomy going forward.
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