Elizabeth A. Laughton

Elizabeth A. Laughton is an intellectual property litigator with a practice focused on complex patent disputes across a wide range of technologies. Her experience includes matters related to software, semiconductor fabrication, pharmaceuticals, and medical diagnostics, such as cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing technology. She represents clients in federal district courts, on appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and in post-grant proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). Public records indicate her current position is with Smith Baluch LLP. She was previously a litigator at Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP.

The single tracked case, Intellectual Ventures I LLC v. Trend Micro Incorporated et al., was a plaintiff-side representation for a patent assertion entity. However, Ms. Laughton’s broader practice appears to involve representing both patent owners and accused infringers, often involving major operating companies. For instance, she has represented Google LLC as a petitioner in inter partes review (IPR) proceedings and subsequent Federal Circuit appeals, and has also successfully defended patent owner Natera, Inc. in an IPR where the PTAB upheld the validity of all challenged claims.

Ms. Laughton has significant experience in post-grant proceedings and appeals. She is named as counsel for Google in IPR petitions and is listed on the briefs for related appeals at the Federal Circuit. Her work for Natera also involved successfully defending a patent challenge at the PTAB. This experience is complemented by her time as a law clerk for Judge Timothy B. Dyk of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, a court that hears all patent appeals.

Ms. Laughton earned her J.D. from Duke University School of Law in 2009, where she was an editor for the Duke Law Journal and the Duke Law & Technology Review.