Kris Leftwich is an experienced technology lawyer representing clients involved in intellectual property litigation and technology transactions. Kris represents clients commercializing technology, software, and data through a wide variety of transactions – including licensing, IT outsourcing, joint development, and vendor service agreements – and in dispute resolution touching all areas of intellectual property, including patents, trademarks, copyright, and trade secrets.
Prior to joining Lumens Law Group PLLC, Kris practiced as a partner and intellectual property litigator at a major international law firm. In that position, Kris was selected by clients and co-counsel for leading roles in high-stakes patent litigations involving cutting-edge technology and emerging legal theories. For example, more than a dozen, independently represented companies selected Kris to represent the entire group at oral argument at the court’s patent claim construction hearing. In another example, Kris successfully obtained summary judgment in favor of his client on legal theories previously presented by a co-defendant and rejected by the court. Kris persuaded the court to change its opinion and adopt his analysis to issue a judgment dismissing Kris’s client from the case. While representing a defendant in a jury trial, Kris cross-examined the inventor of optical telecommunication technology and presented jury arguments using the inventor’s admissions to differentiate his client’s equipment from the patented technology. The jury returned a no-liability verdict of noninfringement in favor of Kris’s client.
Kris now leverages his years of litigation experience to help companies commercialize, defend, and enforce their intellectual property. He guides clients through complex transactions and business deals involving the development, acquisition, and licensing of software, data, information, and technology. In a recent example, Kris helped a client acquire unencumbered technology and intellectual property assets from a company that had various non-competition and exclusivity agreements with potential competitors. In another example, Kris helped investors evaluate the intellectual property of a startup company seeking an infusion of new capital.
Kris has a background in chemical engineering, but his clients operate across a wide range of industries and technologies. As a result, Kris has experience dealing with software; semiconductor design and manufacturing; computer and telecommunications networks; mobile devices, IoT, and connected technologies; chemical compositions and processes; synthetic and composite materials; batteries and energy storage; LEDs, liquid crystals, and other display technologies.
Technology Transactions and Due Diligence
Intellectual Property Litigation
Technology Law Litigation
Computer and telecommunication networks
Mobile devices
NFC, Bluetooth, and personal communication networks
IoT and connected technologies
Computer graphics and memory
CMOS image sensors, FPGAs, ASICs, and other semiconductors
Optical data storage
Compression algorithms and data processing
Enterprise software
Medical devices
LEDs
Liquid crystal and plasma displays
Energy industry processes, materials, and equipment
Lithium ion batteries
Chemical compositions and processes
Pharmaceuticals
Synthetic and composite materials
Polymers and adhesives
Optics and optical materials
Optical amplifiers
Member of Board of Directors of For Love & Art, a non-profit organization providing quality of life services to hospices and elder care facilities.
Ongoing representation of foreign nationals seeking asylum in the United States through the Human Rights Initiative of North Texas Inc.
Served as co-head of the Dallas pro bono practice at Sidley Austin LLP (2014-2017)
Protection 360: The Interplay Between Patent Protection, Licensing, and Trade Secret Protection in Light of the Current Regulatory and Legal Environment, AIPLA
Licensing Trade Secret Data and Information in a Connected Economy, AIPLA
The Kessler Doctrine After SpeedTrack – New Uses for an Old Tool of Preclusion in Patent Cases, State Bar of Texas, IP Law Section Newsletter
Teva May Have Little Impact on Claim Construction Appeals, Law360
Patentable Subject [Anti]matter, Duke Law & Technology Review
U.S. COURT OF APPEALS, FEDERAL CIRCUIT
U.S. DISTRICT COURT, E.D. OF TEXAS
U.S. DISTRICT COURT, N.D. OF TEXAS
TEXAS, 2004
Duke University School of Law (J.D., 2004)
University of Missouri-Rolla (B.S., Chemical Engineering, Summa Cum Laude, 2001)