Best Lawyers in Minnesota, United States for Litigation - Intellectual Property
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Mike Collyard is Chair of Greenberg Traurig’s Affirmative Recovery Practice. He is a battle-tested trial lawyer who has won headline-grabbing cases, including the largest jury verdict in Minnesota history – a $564 million verdict. A trial lawyer from a national trial firm described Mike in the Star Tribune as “the best trial lawyer I have encountered in 42 years of practice…His ability to take complexity and reduce it to lay language for jurors is unmatched.” A ...
Joseph W. Winkels is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Intellectual Property. Joseph W., who practices law in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Joseph W. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Jennell C. Bilek advises clients on a wide range of intellectual property and legal matters. Jennell’s litigation experience includes pre-filing investigations, motion practice, Markman hearings, all aspects of fact and expert discovery, trials, appeals to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and Inter Partes reviews before the USPTO Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Her patent infringement trial experience includes the direct examination of key experts and cross-examination of fa...
J. Derek Vandenburgh is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Intellectual Property, Litigation - Patent and Patent Law. J. Derek, who practices law in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been recognized since 2007. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which J. Derek is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Tara C. Norgard is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Intellectual Property, Trade Secrets Law and Trademark Law. Tara C., who practices law in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been recognized since 2015. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Tara C. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Scott M. Flaherty is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Intellectual Property and Trademark Law. Scott M., who practices law in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Scott M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Kristine M. Boylan is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Copyright Law, Litigation - Intellectual Property and Trademark Law. Kristine M., who practices law in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been recognized since 2016. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kristine M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Michael M. Lafeber is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Intellectual Property, Litigation - Patent and Trademark Law. Michael M., who practices law in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
“I speak three languages fluently: business, technology, and law. Science and legal degrees, combined with 15 years of intellectual property experience, generate positive results for my clients.” Business clients rely on my litigation experience to mitigate risk and help keep them out of court. Whether it’s a well-written contract or an effectively handled negotiation, I work to protect your business assets and build your enterprise value. I provide legal counsel to business...
Alan G. Carlson, recognized by Best Lawyers® since 1991, has more than 40 years of experience representing plaintiffs and defendants in jury and bench trials throughout the U.S. in almost every sort of intellectual property case. In 2010, Best Lawyers named Carlson as “Lawyer of the Year 2010, Intellectual Property Law – Minnesota.” He has won a number of multimillion-dollar jury verdicts in diverse technologies and is a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers.
Jan Conlin has a long record of leading high-stakes intellectual property and business-critical litigation. Known for her trial and examination skills, Jan uses her well-honed expertise in the areas of trial strategy and risk assessment to find unique business resolutions for litigation-based conflicts of all sizes. During the course of her career, Jan has obtained hundreds of millions of dollars in verdicts, awards, and settlements on behalf of her clients. For the past six years, Jan was na...
As Founding and Managing Partner of Ciresi Conlin, Katie’s known for practicing at the intersection of science and the law. She pinpoints the advantages and disadvantages of each case, quickly and efficiently. In order to know how to maneuver your client’s case, you also need to understand your opponent’s path. Seeing through the pitfalls while recognizing the advantages both sides face helps to refine the business goals and litigation strategies for any dispute. Plus, after...
Sam’s practice at Carlson Caspers focuses on patent litigation and counseling. He has worked with leading technology companies to develop domestic and international enforcement strategies involving complex technologies. Sam has litigated patent disputes in federal district courts across the country, before the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, in Inter Partes reviews before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, and other disputed matters before the patent office. Sam also advises technolog...
Patrick concentrates his practice on trademark and copyright issues, as well as other intellectual property matters. He has extensive experience in trademark clearance, investigation, prosecution, client counseling and management of domestic and international trademark portfolios on behalf of clients of all sizes in a wide variety of industries. Patrick's practice also focuses on trademark enforcement; trademark opposition and cancellation proceedings; trademark, unfair competition and false ...
Iain dedicates most of his time to high-technology patent issues. He conducts pre-suit and IP due diligence investigations and provides freedom-to-operate and opinions relating to infringement and validity, as well as litigating patent infringement cases. Iain also drafts and negotiates patent licenses and develops patent procurement and prosecution strategies. He has practiced before the USPTO for over 25 years and has extensive experience preparing and prosecuting patent applications. He ha...
Dennis C. Bremer is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Intellectual Property. Dennis C., who practices law in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Dennis C. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.