Overview
Rob Ward is an intellectual property lawyer focused on the protection of inventions and trademarks, as well as the defense and enforcement of patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets for clients throughout the country and internationally. His practice encompasses patent prosecution, trademark prosecution, trademark protection, patent litigation and client counseling in connection with protecting innovations and new products; this may include product and trademark clearance searches and clearance opinions. Rob, a registered professional engineer (electrical engineering) with first-hand industry experience prior to law school, is known for his down-to-earth, business-oriented approach to problem solving.
Rob helps clients ranging from individual inventors and startup companies to universities and large, multinational corporations, including those in the oil and gas, medical, electrical, consumer products and chemical sectors, to ensure their intellectual property is protected. Rob has represented startup companies in obtaining angel and venture capital funding, including crowdfunding, and has developed strategic and meaningful patent and trademark portfolios to protect such companies, and to provide product line exclusivity. He’s advised on non-compete agreements, developed and implemented company-wide trade secret protection programs, and IP policies and procedures.
Rob’s practice covers all areas of IP law and IP litigation with an emphasis on patents and trademarks, including:
- Patent litigation enforcement and defense in federal courts throughout the United States
- Patent and trademark preparation and prosecution
- Licensing
- Legal opinions on patentability, patent infringement and patent validity
- Acquisition and protection of strategic intellectual property assets and maximizing return on these assets
- Promoting strategic relationships with third parties to maximize return on intellectual property
- Obtain rights to key, third-party intellectual property
- Establishing corporate intellectual property programs to ensure that valuable innovations and trade secrets are identified and properly protected in a timely manner
Rob has prepared and prosecuted numerous patent applications before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and under the Patent Cooperation Treaty. He has also directed the filing of patent and trademark applications in numerous foreign countries – throughout Europe, Asia and North America – and instituted intellectual property enforcement proceedings in various jurisdictions around the world, including judicial and administrative proceedings, and IP customs enforcement proceedings.
Professional Affiliations
- Member, State Bar of Texas
- Member, American Bar Association
- Member, Dallas Bar Association
- Member, American Intellectual Property Law Association
- Member, Licensing Executives Society
- Member, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
- Registered, Professional Engineer
Community Involvement
- Member, Executive Committee Board, Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce (2002-2006)
- Former Division Vice Chair, Technology Leadership Council (2002-2004)
- Former Member, City of Irving Charter Review Committee (2003-2004)
- Graduate, Leadership Irving (2003)
Honors & Awards
- Selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in the field of Litigation – Intellectual Property (2020-2023)
- Recognized, Texas Rising Star by Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, as published in Texas Super Lawyers Magazine (2004)
Education
- University of Houston Law Center (J.D., magna cum laude, 1994)
- Chief Publications and Marketing Editor, Houston Law Review
- Member, Order of the Coif
- Texas A&M University (B.S.E.E., 1986)
- Electrical Engineering
Admissions
- Texas (1994)
- Texas State Courts (1994)
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern, Northern, Southern and Western Districts of Texas
- U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (1994)
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (1998)
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (2002)
- U.S. Supreme Court (2014)