Firm secures fifth, sixth largest intellectual property verdicts for 2022; both rank in top 20 overall
LONGVIEW, Texas – The trial lawyers at Ward, Smith & Hill, PLLC secured the state’s fifth and sixth largest intellectual property verdicts in 2022, according to an analysis by Texas Lawyer magazine and the National Law Journal.
A $41.8 million verdict secured by Johnny Ward, Wesley Hill and Andrea Fair over a cancer treatment pharmaceutical patent was the 5th largest Intellectual Property verdict and the 15th largest overall for the year. A federal jury sided with biotechnology company Seagen Inc. in the lawsuit against Daiichi Sankyo Co. LTD for infringement of U.S. Patent No. 10,808,039, which relates to a type of cancer therapy that links chemotherapeutic drugs to antibodies using cleavable amino acid units.
The firm also secured the 6th largest IP verdict and 17th largest verdict overall for 2022. Trial lawyers Johnny Ward and Claire Abernathy Henry helped Netherlands-based telecommunications company Koninklijke KPN N.V. (KPN) win a jury trial against Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson and Ericsson Inc. for willfully infringing one of its patents used to improve telecommunications infrastructure systems, resulting in a $31.5 million verdict.
“Our entire team is extremely proud to have been able to successfully argue these two cases,” said Mr. Ward. “We are grateful to see National Law Journal and Texas Lawyer highlighting these hard-earned verdicts on behalf of our clients, and we feel inspired for what’s next.”
The rankings are based on court records reported by VerdictSearch, a National Law Journal affiliate.
Ward, Smith & Hill’s reputation for securing favorable verdicts and settlements on behalf of clients has garnered national recognition. The firm is known for handling high-stakes trials involving intellectual property claims, oil and gas disputes, business litigation matters, breach of contract and serious personal injuries.
About Ward, Smith & Hill, PLLC
Longview, Texas-based Ward, Smith & Hill, PLLC, has tried more than 350 cases to verdict, earning a national reputation in high-stakes claims involving complex commercial litigation, intellectual property law, oil and gas matters, bad faith insurance claims and serious personal injury claims. The firm frequently assists lawyers nationwide in complex cases before Texas juries. To learn more about the firm, visit https://www.wsfirm.com.
