Eric W. Buether

Eric W. Buether (1956–2024) was a founding member of the Dallas-based intellectual property boutique Buether Joe & Carpenter, LLC, where he focused on patent, trademark, and copyright litigation. His patent practice concentrated on representing patent holders in infringement litigation, often on a contingent-fee basis. Court records show his clients were frequently patent assertion entities or licensing companies in the software and internet technology sectors. The technology at issue in his cases often involved internet-based systems, such as in his representation of Geotag, Inc. on a patent for an "Internet Organizer for Accessing Geographically and Topically Based Information" and Lexos Media IP, LLC on patents related to website user interfaces.

Based on available court records, Mr. Buether's practice was exclusively dedicated to representing plaintiffs. The single tracked case, Monticello Enterprises LLC v. Petco Animals Supply Stores Inc, where he was lead counsel for the plaintiff, is consistent with his broader litigation history. He frequently litigated in the Eastern District of Texas, representing entities such as Parallel Networks, LLC and Lexos Media IP, LLC against numerous defendants. There is no public record of him representing defendants in patent infringement lawsuits.

Mr. Buether's work extended to appellate practice and proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). He argued on behalf of patent owners at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in matters stemming from both district court litigation and PTAB decisions. For instance, he represented DSS Technology Management, Inc. in its appeal of an inter partes review (IPR) decision from the PTAB. A February 2026 court order in a case filed by his client Lexos Media IP, LLC, noted that Mr. Buether had passed away in October 2024.

Admitted to the Texas bar in 1981, Mr. Buether was also admitted to practice before numerous federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court and the Federal Circuit. He earned his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School in 1981 and his A.B. from the University of Chicago in 1978.