Patent litigation attorney
Johnny Ward
16 tracked appearances — 15 plaintiff · 1 defendant.
Specialty & background
Professional Summary: Johnny Ward
Johnny Ward is a highly experienced trial lawyer and a founding partner of Ward, Smith & Hill, PLLC in Longview, Texas. His practice is heavily focused on patent infringement litigation, where he has cultivated a national reputation for representing plaintiffs. Based on his tracked cases and reported trial results, he primarily litigates on behalf of patent holders and patent assertion entities against large technology and automotive companies.
Mr. Ward's caseload spans a variety of technology sectors. His recent representations include asserting patents related to media streaming platforms and cloud services (Egla Corp v. Mood Media LLC et al.), internal antenna technology for wireless devices (Fractus, S.A. v. TCL Communication Technology Holdings, Ltd. et al.), and powertrain efficiency and charging apparatuses for electric and hybrid vehicles (Bunker Hill Technologies LLC v. Toyota Motor North America Inc. et al.). All three of his tracked appearances are on the plaintiff's side, where he has served as local counsel or of counsel, a role consistent with his firm's frequent collaboration with other national firms in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.
Throughout his career, Mr. Ward has secured a number of significant courtroom victories for his clients against major corporations such as Apple, Samsung, and Verizon. While he has an extensive record in district court trials, public information does not indicate a significant focus on proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). In early 2024, reports indicated Mr. Ward was transitioning his practice from trial work to focus on mediation and alternative dispute resolution. His father, the Hon. T. John Ward, a retired and influential judge from the Eastern District of Texas, also serves as of counsel at the firm.
Mr. Ward was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 1995. He earned his J.D. magna cum laude from Texas Tech University School of Law in 1995 and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Oklahoma in 1992. Following law school, he clerked for the Hon. Robert M. Parker of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Firms
Roles
- local counsel9
- Local Counsel4
- Of Counsel1
- Of Counsel / Local Counsel1
- lead counsel1
Cases (16)
- π plaintiffAlpha Modus Corp. v. Best Buy Co., Inc.Ward, Smith & Hill · local counsel
- π plaintiffAlpha Modus, Corp. v. The Kroger Co.Ward, Smith & Hill · local counsel
- π plaintiffAtlas Global Technologies LLC v. CommScope, Inc. et al.Ward, Smith & Hill · local counsel
- π plaintiffAtlas Global Technologies LLC v. TP-Link Corporation Limited et al.Ward, Smith & Hill · local counsel
- π plaintiffAutonavigare LLC v. Toyota Motor Corporation et al.Ward, Smith & Hill · Local Counsel
- Δ defendantBSH Home Appliances Corporation v. Whirlpool CorporationWard, Smith & Hill · lead counsel
- π plaintiffBunker Hill Technologies LLC v. Toyota Motor North America Inc. et al.Ward, Smith & Hill · Local Counsel
- π plaintiffEgla Corp v. Mood Media LLC et al.Ward, Smith & Hill · Of Counsel
- π plaintiffFleet Connect Solutions LLC v. Stellantis N.V.Ward, Smith & Hill · Local Counsel
- π plaintiffFleet Connect Solutions LLC v. T-Mobile US, Inc.Ward, Smith & Hill · local counsel
- π plaintiffFractus, S.A. v. TCL Communication Technology Holdings, Ltd. et al.Ward, Smith & Hill · local counsel
- π plaintiffMarshall Feature Recognition, LLC et al. v. Apple Inc.Ward, Smith & Hill · Of Counsel / Local Counsel
- π plaintiffOptimnet LLC v. Cisco Systems, Inc.Ward, Smith & Hill · local counsel
- π plaintiffUntitled caseWard, Smith & Hill · local counsel
- π plaintiffVB Assets, LLC v. General Motors Holdings LLCWard, Smith & Hill · Local Counsel
- π plaintiffVision Works IP Corp. v. Tesla, Inc.Ward, Smith & Hill · local counsel