Paul M. Sykes

Paul M. Sykes

Birmingham, AL recognized lawyers icon Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2006
Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP

317 Best Lawyers awards

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP logo

Awarded Practice Areas

Litigation - Patent Copyright Law Information Technology Law Litigation - Intellectual Property Patent Law Trade Secrets Law
*Named the "Lawyer of the Year" in this practice area in the 2026 edition in Birmingham.

Biography

Paul Sykes represents businesses and individuals in a wide variety of intellectual property and technology-related legal matters. As a member of both the Intellectual Property and Competitive Practices and the Litigation Practice Groups, Paul counsels clients in the acquisition, licensing and protection of intellectual property rights, and he litigates those rights in the state and federal courts. Paul has been peer-selected for inclusion in the Best Lawyer's in America and Alabama Super Lawyers in Intellectual Property Law. Birmingham Magazine recently listed him as a “Top Attorney” for Intellectual Property.

Paul focuses his practice on patent, copyright, trademark, unfair competition, and trade secret litigation. As a former computer engineer, Paul understands technology and how to use it for the benefit of the client. As a registered patent attorney, Paul prepares and prosecutes patent applications before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. He also counsels clients generally in the areas of copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets. He previously served as president of the Intellectual Property Section of the Alabama State Bar.

Paul has handled patent infringement matters, for both plaintiffs and defendants, involving technology as diverse as telecommunications equipment, fishing lures, automated teller machines, football pads, wireless networking equipment, muzzleloading firearms, microprocessors, automated bark control collars, injection molding processes, lenticular images, mops and brooms, spun concrete utility poles, and telephony software.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP

317 Best Lawyers awards

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP logo

Overview

  • The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, J.D., graduated 1998
  • Auburn University, B.E.E

  • Alabama, Alabama State Bar Association

  • Alabama State Bar Association - Member
  • American Bar Association - Member
  • Birmingham Bar Association - Member
  • Alabama, Alabama State Bar Association
  • Alabama State Bar Association - Member
  • American Bar Association - Member
  • Birmingham Bar Association - Member
  • The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, J.D., graduated 1998
  • Auburn University, B.E.E

Client Testimonials

I have been working with Paul Sykes since 2005 and with Nicholas Landau until he moved, and they have been solid partners. Paul has been an absolute first-rate legal scholar educating me and helping our business negotiate any number of challenges, from USPTO Office Actions to patent defense, copycat importers, to claim charts that nullified bogus competition. Our IP continues to expand, and it is good to know that he will be at our side going forward. Thank you, Paul and Bradley Arant Boult and Cummings.

David Kraus (StreetStrider)

Awards & Focus

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2026 - Litigation - Patent Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2025 - Copyright Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2025 - Trade Secrets Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2024 - Litigation - Patent Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2023 - Copyright Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2023 - Information Technology Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2015 - Litigation - Intellectual Property
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Litigation - Patent, Birmingham (2026)
  • Copyright Law, Birmingham (2025)
  • Trade Secrets Law, Birmingham (2025)
  • Litigation - Patent, Birmingham (2024)
  • Copyright Law, Birmingham (2023)
  • Information Technology Law, Birmingham (2023)
  • Litigation - Intellectual Property, Birmingham (2015)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
  • Copyright Law
  • Information Technology Law
  • Litigation - Intellectual Property
  • Litigation - Patent
  • Patent Law
  • Trade Secrets Law
Additional Areas of Practice:
  • Technology Law
Special Focus:
  • Antitrust
  • Commercial
  • Contract
  • Copyright
  • Electronics
  • Hardware
  • Information Technology
  • Intellectual Property
  • Licensing
  • Litigation
  • Patent
  • Software
  • Technology
  • Trade Secrets
  • Trademark
  • Unfair Trade Practices
Awards:
  • Listed in Alabama Super Lawyers, Intellectual Property, 2012-2013

Case History

Cases
  • Other Court Admissions
  • United States Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
  • United States Patent & Trademark Office
  • United States District Court, Middle District of Alabama
  • United States District Court, Northern District of Alabama
  • United States District Court, Southern District of Alabama
  • United States District Court, Eastern District of Texas
  • United States District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin

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