Alston & Bird has strengthened its IP Litigation Group with the addition of partner Erik Carlson in the firm’s Los Angeles office. Erik litigates patent cases involving technology in the high tech and medical device fields.
“We are thrilled to welcome Erik, whose multidisciplinary perspective—informed by his legal and engineering experience—will enhance our leading IP practice,” said Scott Stevens, co-leader of Alston & Bird’s IP Litigation Group. “Erik’s skills and experience will complement our existing team of accomplished, trial-ready attorneys who work on domestic and multinational intellectual property litigation involving emerging and complex technology.”
Erik has more than 15 years of experience litigating IP disputes for rights owners and defendants in U.S. district courts, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and federal appellate courts. He has handled patent jury trials involving an extensive range of complex technology, including spinal surgery systems and other medical devices, natural language processing and machine learning, telecommunications, cryptography, and cloud computing.
Before entering the legal profession, Erik was a systems engineer for Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems, where he led a team developing infrared targeting pods for F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets and developed computer algorithms for optical image stabilization in reconnaissance satellites.
“The addition of Erik builds on our momentum and follows Theresa Conduah, who rejoined the firm as an intellectual property partner in the Los Angeles office earlier this year,” said Jeffrey Rosenfeld, partner-in-charge of Alston & Bird’s Los Angeles office. “In addition to strengthening our IP capabilities on the West Coast, Erik’s collegial and collaborative approach to client service fits nicely with our firm’s values.”
“I’m excited to join my new colleagues at Alston & Bird, including the talented team in Los Angeles,” said Erik. “I look forward to working closely with them to grow the IP Litigation Group and the firm’s other offerings on the West Coast and well beyond.”
Alston & Bird’s team of more than 65 intellectual property litigation lawyers assists clients as both plaintiffs and defendants in patent infringement matters. The team has litigated IP disputes in the federal and state courts of at least 45 states, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the International Trade Commission (ITC). These attorneys regularly partner with attorneys from the Patents Group to coordinate post-grant review proceedings before the Patent Trial & Appeal Board (PTAB).