Best Law Firms in Minnesota for Litigation - Intellectual Property

Carlson Caspers is an acclaimed intellectual property law firm known for excellence in intellectual property litigation and counseling, including patent infringement litigation, trade secrets, copyrights, trademarks, data privacy, ANDA, Hatch-Waxman, monetization, inter partes reviews (IPR), appeals, and more.  

Founded in 2003 in Minneapolis, MN, our firm has built a reputation for remarkable client success in consumer, commercial, and industrial markets across a wide range of complex, technology-driven sectors such as manufacturing, medical devices, life sciences, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, data privacy, and wireless communications. 

Our firm has 33 licensed attorneys, all admitted to federal court in Minnesota, with 18 admitted to the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Many of our attorneys are also licensed in other federal and state national courts.

As a go-to intellectual property boutique with a deep bench of highly experienced lawyers from top technical and legal schools, our attorneys practice intellectual property litigation and counseling, with five attorneys also performing patent filing and strategic counseling services related to patent prosecution. We also have a robust IPR practice and routinely pursue parallel actions in district court and the USPTO in patent infringement cases.

Your business goals are the primary driver of any strategy, and understanding various business realities is foundational to our representation.

We appreciate that not all matters require the same approach and believe we are particularly adept at tailoring our strategies to align with our client's business interests. Some matters warrant a "no-stone-left-unturned" effort, while less mission-critical matters warrant a more streamlined approach.

For example, in a patent litigation defense, we would need to understand what your liabilities would be, what your projections are for the future of the allegedly infringing product or system, whether there is a basis for indemnification, and whether there is a possible non-infringing platform being examined for the future. We also would want to know more about the patents, understand the prior art, and other invalidity and non-infringement positions that may be available, etc. We are confident that our experience, expertise, and judgment will quickly and efficiently develop and execute strategies that will deliver successful resolutions. For example, for patent prosecution and as business owners, we would understand your budget and goals for every patent to be strategic and predictable in the outcome. 

We believe that solid communications are crucial. We've found that keeping clients well-informed about the ongoing status of matters is key to optimal matter resolution and client satisfaction. Communications can take several forms, including weekly case update meetings in litigation matters and the opportunity to comment on proposed pleadings well before the filing date.

One of Carlson Caspers' core tenets is respect for the diversity of our clients, colleagues, and communities. Our commitment to inclusion is the foundation for a vibrant work environment and unparalleled client service from varied perspectives in developing strategies and solutions to serve our client's business goals. We recognize that diversity and inclusion require ongoing and active engagement within our firm and the broader community. Carlson Caspers is committed to ensuring that our lawyers are treated relatively in work experience, mentoring, and overall career advancement. We offer a 1LDiversity Scholarship Program, participate in the Twin Cities Diversity In Practice  (TCDIP) 1L Clerkship Program (obtaining many of our most recent associates through that process), and sponsor and participate in organizations that promote diversity and inclusion within the legal profession. The firm also offers a 1L Diversity & Inclusion Scholarship program. We also strive to staff each litigation matter with attorneys representing diversity and inclusion.

The experienced lawyers at Carlson Caspers make up a diverse team of scientists, pharmacists, engineers, and technologists who focus on delivering value by respecting the client's genius and bringing in-depth industry knowledge, technical experience, subject matter expertise, and a global business perspective to every legal challenge. Clients include Fortune 500 companies as well as small companies and individuals.

For more information, visit carlsoncaspers.com.

At Taft, we work as one team, driven and committed to helping you succeed. Our attorneys understand that innovative, value-creating solutions help our clients reach their goals. Our collaborative approach, advanced technological resources, and depth of services can transform what you expect from your legal team.

With more than 1,100 attorneys, Taft has offices in Chicago, Illinois; Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, and Delaware, Ohio; Aspen, Denver, and Colorado Springs, Colorado; Detroit and Southfield, Michigan; Minneapolis, Minnesota.; Indianapolis, Indiana; Covington, Kentucky; Phoenix, Arizona; Stuart and West Palm Beach, Florida; and Washington, D.C.

Taft attorneys serve individuals and businesses worldwide in both mature and emerging industries.

The firm practices across a wide range of industries in virtually every area of law, including:

• Business
• Bankruptcy and Restructuring
• Employment and Labor Relations
• Energy
• Environmental
  
• Health Care
• Intellectual Property
  
• Lending and Finance
• Litigation
• Private Client
• Real Estate
• Tax

Since 1885, Taft has maintained a constant focus: to provide clients, both large and small, with legal advice and services that meet the highest possible standards.

Affiliated Businesses

As an additional service to our clients, Taft attorneys often partner with members of our affiliated businesses to provide comprehensive service to our clients. Our affiliated businesses include:

• Ginovus
• Taft Advisors LLC
• Taft Business Consulting
• Taft Infrastructure Advisors

Through these businesses, clients can access business consulting across a variety of disciplines, from general planning and forecasting to government relations and public policy.

Awards and Honors

Taft has received numerous awards and honors:

• 108 Taft attorneys and 45 practice areas are listed in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business.

• Eight Taft attorneys are listed in Chambers High Net Worth (HNW), and the firm is named a leading law firm in the HNW guide in Private Wealth Law for Indiana, Minnesota, and Ohio.

• Taft is ranked among the Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms." Taft received 20 national Tier 1 rankings, and Tier 1 rankings by metropolitan area in 154 practice areas.

• 363 Taft attorneys were honored with inclusion in the most recent edition of The Best Lawyers in America, with an additional 136 attorneys honored in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America.

• 112 Taft attorneys were named to the most recent list of Super Lawyers by Super Lawyers magazine.

• 78 Taft attorneys were named to the most recent list of Rising Stars by Super Lawyers magazine.

• Taft is rated a Highly Recommended Firm in Ohio and Indiana as well as a Recommended Firm in Minnesota by Benchmark Litigation, and Taft attorneys hold 22 rankings by Benchmark in one or more categories.

Main Areas of Practice:

Business: We provide legal services to public, private, and non-profit clients in a wide variety of industries, including banking, construction, distribution, finance, health care, housing, insurance, manufacturing, private equity, professional sports, real estate, retail, and utilities. Members of the group represent clients of different sizes, from emerging companies to Fortune 500 companies, on issues ranging from local matters to transactions with national and international implications.

Bankruptcy and Restructuring: We represent debtors, lenders, committees, suppliers, real estate owners and developers, equipment lessors, receivers, trustees, buyers and sellers, and other parties in connection with a wide assortment of transactions and litigation. We have extensive experience in the automotive, steel, telecommunications, basic manufacturing, retail and wholesale goods, and distressed-debt trading industries.

Employment and Labor Relations: We represent clients in a wide range of legal services to manage the complex relationship between employers and employees, including labor management relations, employment litigation, day-to-day counseling, benefit plans and ERISA compliance, workplace safety and health, immigration and citizenship, and workers’ compensation.

Energy: We provide full-service representation to a broad range of energy providers, public utilities, transmission-only utilities, independent power producers, developers, regional entities, and other energy-sector participants.

Environmental: We provide services in the areas of trial practice, Superfund defense and negotiation, enforcement defense, cost-recovery for plaintiffs and defendants, criminal environmental defense, environmental insurance and toxic tort litigation, mold and sick building litigation, lawsuits involving environmental problems discovered as a result of real property transfers or mergers and acquisitions, Brownfields redevelopment, defense of claims of occupational exposures, and administrative proceedings before state and federal agencies.

Health Care: We advise individual and institutional healthcare providers, research institutions, and pharmaceutical, medical device and biotechnology clients in multiple areas of law, including business and finance, employment and labor relations, malpractice litigation, insurance, regulatory and administrative law, ERISA, third-party reimbursement (Medicare, Medicaid and private payers) and hospital financing (tax-exempt bond financing).

Intellectual Property: We counsel and assist clients with patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, intellectual property, and pharmaceutical and life sciences litigation, including Hatch-Waxman litigation, biosimilars, computer software and internet-related issues.

Lending and Finance: Lenders and borrowers alike need lawyers that understand market dynamics and help simplify the complexity of transactions wherever possible. Clients trust our team to bring a practical, business-oriented approach to each transaction. Our team represents lenders and borrowers in all types of financing transactions, including asset-based lending, mezzanine finance, traditional working capital and equipment finance, acquisition finance (senior and mezzanine), capital call lines of credit, real estate finance, equipment leasing, regulatory compliance, investigations and enforcement, and consumer financial services and lending.

Litigation: We represent clients in pretrial, trial and appellate litigation in federal and state courts, before regulatory agencies and arbitration panels, and in alternative dispute resolution in a full range of matters, including antitrust, appellate, bankruptcy, construction, ERISA, education, estates, trusts and fiduciary, environmental, FCPA and international anti-corruption, First Amendment and media law, government contracts, insurance, intellectual property, pharmaceutical and life sciences, product liability and personal injury, securities, sports, and corporate compliance and white collar criminal defense.

Private Client: We counsel owners of family businesses in establishing organizational structures to satisfy current and long-term needs, to plan for the transfer of the business to the next generation (whether during the owner's lifetime or upon death), and to implement strategies. We also represent clients on personal planning, taking into account estate and income tax issues, closely-held businesses, second marriages, and planning for special needs of children and other heirs.

Real Estate: We represent clients in all services related to the acquisition, disposition, financing, leasing, management, and use of real estate, including lease, financing agreement, construction contract, and purchase and sale agreement negotiations, land use representation and litigation, and tax valuation representation and litigation.

Tax: We represent public corporations, financial institutions, domestic joint ventures, new business ventures, non-profit and tax-exempt organizations, and individuals in tax matters such as business transactions, employee benefits and executive compensation, international taxation, mergers and acquisitions, state and local tax, and tax controversy and litigation.