Litigation & Post-Grant Proceedings

For more than six decades, clients have turned to Sheridan Ross to address their most complex litigation and business issues. Our unique team of skilled litigators, who have strong technical backgrounds, understand the high-stakes nature of patent, trademark and trade secret disputes, and they have represented and defended clients in state, federal and appellate courts throughout the country. We also have a depth of experience handling post-grant patent proceedings and trademark opposition proceedings in front of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Trial and Appeal Boards. And when traditional litigation is not the right solution, we also represent clients in alternative dispute resolution matters.

In addition to our litigation team’s significant experience in cases involving software, electronics and medical devices, as well as mechanical, electrical, chemical, biologic and other scientific and engineering disciplines, we draw upon the diverse technical backgrounds of our patent prosecution lawyers and patent agents many of whom have advanced degrees and industry experience in their respective fields.

Similarly, when faced with trademark or trade dress disputes, our trademark attorneys rely on their decades of experience handling global portfolios with many moving parts. They have managed thousands of trademark applications and oppositions, and they assist our litigators with a comprehensive understanding of the nuances of our clients’ brands.

Despite the often highly technical nature of patent and trademark infringement cases and trade secret misappropriation cases, our clients’ litigation successes speak to our ability to present complex issues to judges and juries in ways that are persuasive and easily understood. In addition to our experience handling patent infringement cases, we have specific experience conducting infringement and validity analyses, assisting in claim construction hearings, and providing counseling at all stages of the litigation process. Our litigation team includes experienced courtroom advocates with strong technical backgrounds and industry experience that provides us with an upper‐hand in disputes.

Whether you are seeking to protect your issued U.S. patent or trademark, your trade secret, or you are looking to invalidate or oppose a competitor’s portfolio, we can assist you in evaluating all your options so you can make the most informed decision for your business.

Trademark and Trade Dress Litigation

Our team excels at developing efficient, effective litigation and enforcement strategies related to trademark and trade dress disputes. Our litigators frequently work alongside our trademark attorneys to conduct due diligence and identify key experts for a specific case. In many cases, our team develops a multi-step strategy that includes simultaneous proceedings in state or federal courts along with the U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB). We have a depth of experience handling TTAB cases including successfully defending cases appealed to the Federal Circuit.

Our team also frequently handles trademark and trade dress disputes in emerging venues including disputes with e-commerce and online retailers who are selling infringing products. Our litigators are skilled at creating complex monitoring systems that help our clients identify and eliminate counterfeit and fraudulent goods from online sources. Also, we excel at partnering with clients with large trademark portfolios who are seeking to protect their reputations by minimizing competition within a specific marketplace.

Clients are increasingly turning to our patent and litigation attorneys to counsel them through the post-grant proceedings established by the America Invents Act, many of which can impact the timing and strategy of pursuing litigation. Our firm has handled dozens of inter partes and ex parte proceedings in front of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, and we have excelled at pairing our depth of knowledge in patent prosecution with our expansive litigation experience. Regardless of the venue, our experienced, technically trained patent attorneys work with you to understand your goals and develop an appropriate strategy.

In the face of high-cost, high-stakes and uncertain outcomes in court, an increasing number of clients are seeking lower-cost and quicker alternatives to the traditional litigation. Our attorneys are skilled at utilizing a range of solutions that meet individual client needs including arbitration, mediation, early neutral intervention and other forms of dispute resolution. In most cases, alternative routes offer a more predictable budget and outcome that allows our clients to continue meeting their business goals in tandem with addressing their litigation issues.

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