Chipmaker Qualcomm Inc. is dueling in federal court in San Diego with its hired attorneys over who should take the blame for what a judge called misconduct on a massive scale at a past trial.U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Major is considering sanctions against 19 attorneys who represented Qualcomm in a patent lawsuit the company filed against rival Broadcom. Qualcomm, the world's second-largest chipmaker for cell phones, is embroiled in a patent dispute with rival chipmaker Broadcom Corp. Broadcom, NEC Corp., Nokia Corp. LM Ericsson Panasonic Mobile Communications and Texas Instruments Inc. have filed complaints with the European Union over Qualcomm's licensing practices.

The possibility of sanctions has threatened the careers of attorneys from two Silicon Valley firms and prolonged a damaging episode for San Diego-based Qualcomm.

The judge gave no indication Friday whether she will impose sanctions, what the penalties might be or when she will rule.