Brown Rudnick continues strategic growth with addition of eight-person IP litigation group based in Houston 

HOUSTON, November 13, 2024 – Brown Rudnick announced today it has grown its international litigation practice with the addition of an eight-person IP Litigation group led by three partners based in the firm’s Houston office. 

The group is led by patent litigation partner Erick Robinson and includes partners Jayme Partridge and Jayne Piana and counsel Patrick Dunn. The move deepens the bench of talent on Brown Rudnick’s highly regarded IP Litigation team. 

“We are excited to be adding such a talented group of lawyers to our firm,” said Vince Guglielmotti, CEO of Brown Rudnick. “The team fits perfectly with our strategic plan to grow our presence in Houston while simultaneously focusing on our international IP litigation and technology practices.” 

Brown Rudnick opened its Houston office in August, welcoming veteran trial lawyer Adam Schiffer and oil and gas litigator Lauren Varnado as partners. 

“I am thrilled to welcome my new colleagues to Brown Rudnick,” said Ian DiBernardo, chair of the Intellectual Property Litigation group. “This group has a strong national and international client base and substantial intellectual property litigation experience, including in Texas. While we have litigated many cases in Texas, we now have a significant presence on the ground in one of the most active jurisdictions for patent cases.” 

About the new additions 

Erick Robinson is a deeply experienced trial lawyer, patent litigator, and IP strategist with a technical background in computer science, electronics, and biotechnology. He litigates bet-the-business patent cases on both the plaintiff and defendant side for clients ranging from Fortune 100 companies to sole inventors. Robinson is also a leader in the world of litigation funding. He has worked in several leading IP practices and has worked in-house, including at Qualcomm and Red Hat. 

“With an elite reputation in IP litigation, as well as an enterprising spirit and a growing footprint in Texas, Brown Rudnick’s platform creates great opportunities for our clients,” Robinson said. “I also look forward to working with Brown Rudnick’s esteemed Litigation Funding team. Joining a firm of not just top litigators but accomplished trial lawyers on both sides of the Atlantic is a major boon.” 

Jayme Partridge is a highly experienced and accomplished trial lawyer with a background in engineering. She has a proven track record of successfully litigating high-stakes intellectual property cases, with a focus on patent infringement and trade secret misappropriation. With decades of courtroom experience, Partridge has built a reputation for handling complex competitor disputes with skill, precision, and tenacity. 

Jayne Piana, like Robinson and Partridge, is a seasoned patent litigator with over 20 years of intellectual property experience. She also brings a distinct perspective, having spent 10 years as in-house counsel at a global energy company. In addition to her patent trial work, Piana advises clients on all aspects of intellectual property protection, including technology transactions, disputes, and freedom-to-operate issues. 

Patrick Dunn, an engineer for more than two decades for top technology companies, focuses his practice on patent litigation and patent licensing. His patent litigation experience includes federal district court litigation, Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) trials, litigation finance, and patent licensing. Before his law career, Dunn also worked for the leading technology licensing company in the world. 

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