Jackson Walker partner Nathaniel St. Clair, II has been named one of just six attorneys shortlisted for the Litigator of the Year – Texas award by Managing IP, a global resource for intellectual property news and analysis.

Introduced in 2006, the Managing IP Americas Awards program is the premier annual awards event for IP firms and professionals worldwide. Each year, research analysts in London, New York, and Hong Kong conduct interviews and online surveys to identify the leading firms and IP practitioners across several practice areas and more than 50 jurisdictions. The selection process is extensive, acknowledging companies and individuals for their remarkable achievements and developments in the last year.

Nate, a seasoned IP litigator and counselor based in Dallas, concentrates his practice on patent and trademark litigation and IP portfolio licensing and management. His expertise encompasses infringement and invalidity analyses, patentability studies, risk assessments, and general IP counseling, particularly in the electrical and mechanical arts.

In 2023 alone, Nate handled four major patent litigation cases in Texas federal courts, including:

• Representation of Trellix (formerly McAfee Enterprise) in a multi-patent, multi-district litigation matter in the Eastern District of Texas, which was Judge Gilstrap’s first multi-district litigation in his tenure on the bench. The plaintiff alleged damages into the eight figures. That case was resolved a few months before trial for a mere fraction of what the plaintiff alleged in damages.
• Representation of a major technology company in one of six lawsuits filed in the Western District of Texas – Waco Division before Judge Biery. The case was dismissed with prejudice, and the remaining motions pending with the Court were dismissed as moot.
• Representation of a large insurance provider in a patent litigation matter brought before the Eastern District of Texas before Judge Gilstrap. Although the client was covered by indemnification, Nate and the Jackson Walker team defended the case with their co-counsel up to its conclusion, where the parties settled on the eve of trial under an umbrella settlement covered by a third-party provider.
• Representation of three financial institutions in a multi-patent litigation case filed in the Western District of Texas before Judge Albright. All three cases were settled, one of which was an outright dismissal and the other two were settled for a small fraction of what the plaintiffs sought.

Beyond protecting his clients’ valuable intellectual property in court, Nate manages Goldman Sachs’ trademarks on all continents where the bank maintains a business presence and also recently advised the company in its first major rebranding effort in about 15 years. He has also regularly advised J.C. Penney Corporation on various trademark, copyright, and other related IP matters, both domestically and internationally, related to its in-house designs for home décor items and clothing.

Regarding his recognition in the Litigator of the Year – Texas shortlist, Nate stated, “I’m incredibly honored to be shortlisted for this prestigious award, alongside the other nominees. However, my greatest satisfaction comes from witnessing the success of my clients. Their business achievements, technical innovations, and the protection of their IP are what truly drive me, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to play a role in propelling their endeavors forward.”

“I’m incredibly honored to be shortlisted for this prestigious award, alongside the other nominees. However, my greatest satisfaction comes from witnessing the success of my clients.”

The winner of the Litigator of the Year – Texas award as well as several other awards will be announced at the Managing IP Americas Awards Ceremony in New York City on April 25, 2024. For more information on Managing IP and the 2024 Americas Awards shortlists, visit the Managing IP website.

About Jackson Walker’s IP Litigation Team

As the largest Texas-only firm with about 500 attorneys throughout the state, Jackson Walker is nationally recognized as an IP powerhouse. Consecutively over the last decade, the firm has ranked among the Best Law Firms® by Best Lawyers in the areas of Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Patent Law, and Trademark Law. The firm has also been named by Managing IP as a recommended law firm in Texas for patent prosecution.

Our Intellectual Property Law and Intellectual Property Litigation attorneys have decades of experience, assisting companies in securing and defending their intellectual property domestically and across the globe. Our clients range from single inventors to large multinational companies, including Dell Inc., Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Walmart, and J.C. Penney. Additionally, we provide counsel to several major Texas universities that are investing in cutting-edge technology patents that will transform the technology, healthcare and energy sectors as well focusing on the application of artificial intelligence.

To explore our areas of service and history of achieving favorable results for clients, please visit the Intellectual Property practice page.