Frank G. Smith, III

Frank G. Smith, III is a retired partner from Alston & Bird's Intellectual Property Litigation Group in Atlanta, where his practice of nearly 40 years concentrated on high-stakes patent litigation. His case experience spanned a wide range of technologies, including pharmaceuticals and animal health (Merial), medical infusion pumps (E-Z-EM, Inc.), software for real estate searches (Move, Inc.), and computer security methods (Dell). In addition to patent matters, Mr. Smith's practice included antitrust litigation and counseling. He was named "Atlanta Lawyer of the Year" for patent litigation in 2012 by Best Lawyers.

The authoritative case list shows Mr. Smith representing the plaintiff in Ironburg Inventions Ltd. v. Collective Minds Gaming Co. Ltd. in an of counsel or local counsel role. His broader career reflects a balanced practice, where he represented both patent holders and accused infringers. Notable representations include securing a preliminary injunction for Merial in a patent case over flea and tick medicine and representing Mylan as a plaintiff in a breach of patent license action that resulted in a jury verdict of $106.7 million.

Mr. Smith was a career-long attorney at Alston & Bird and a former member of the firm's Partners' Committee. Publicly available sources do not specify his experience in inter partes review (IPR) or other PTAB proceedings.

He earned his J.D. from Stanford University, where he was elected to the Order of the Coif, and his undergraduate degree, cum laude, from Davidson College, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Mr. Smith is admitted to the State Bar of Georgia.