Eric S. Tautfest

Eric S. Tautfest is a seasoned patent litigator and trial lawyer, serving as a Shareholder and the Chair of the Intellectual Property Department at Gray Reed & McGraw, P.C.. His practice spans a diverse range of technology areas, including wireless telecommunications, software, fiber optics, computer displays, image compression, and biotechnology. Mr. Tautfest specializes in developing and implementing patent monetization strategies, aggressive enforcement litigation, and licensing programs throughout the patent lifecycle.

While his tracked appearances include one plaintiff-side role as local counsel in RFC Lenders of Texas, LLC v. CalAmp Corp., his firm profiles indicate he practices on both the plaintiff and defendant sides of patent litigation. Earlier in his career, he focused exclusively on the plaintiff's side, a mindset he now applies to his defense practice to drive cases efficiently toward client goals. Before joining Gray Reed, he gained in-house experience and served as Chief Licensing Officer for PanOptis Patent Management.

Among his notable involvements, Gray Reed secured significant verdicts for PanOptis against Apple ($506 million) and Huawei in patent infringement cases. While the specific technology in RFC Lenders of Texas, LLC v. CalAmp Corp. is not detailed, a related case, RFC Lenders of Texas, LLC v. Smart Chemical Solutions, LLC, involved a patent related to vehicle tracking, where the Federal Circuit upheld the dismissal of the patent claims as ineligible. Information regarding his regular appearance in PTAB or IPR proceedings was not readily available in the provided search results.

Mr. Tautfest earned his J.D. in 2000 from Southern Methodist University School of Law and his B.A. from Brigham Young University in 1996. He is licensed to practice in Texas, the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Eastern, Western, and Southern Districts of Texas, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the Federal Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court.