Michael D. Karson

Michael D. Karson is an experienced patent litigation attorney and Shareholder at Winstead PC, focusing his practice on intellectual property matters including patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret misappropriation cases. He joined Winstead in July 2021 as a Shareholder, arriving with a team from Thompson & Knight LLP, and previously held roles at Haynes and Boone and Kirkland & Ellis. Karson is recognized by Benchmark Litigation as a "2026 Litigation Star" for his work in complex intellectual property disputes.

Karson's technical expertise spans a diverse range of technologies, including 3G, 4G, and 5G cellular communications and equipment, mobile device management, wireless smart electricity metering, industrial cooling equipment, various data communications technologies, virtual reality, and medical devices. While the provided data indicates a preference for plaintiff-side representation, with three tracked plaintiff appearances, his broader experience includes defending a smartphone maker in a Section 337 Investigation before the International Trade Commission and representing an auto manufacturer in patent litigation. His practice often involves helping clients monetize their patent portfolios.

Notable engagements include representing the plaintiff, Orthosie Systems, LLC, in patent litigation against Spireon, Inc., a case that involved issues of patent eligibility concerning vehicle inventory management technology. He was also a member of a trial team that secured a large jury verdict in the Northern District of Texas involving virtual reality technology and intellectual property, and successfully represented the owner of smart electricity metering patents in multi-district litigation that resolved before trial.

Karson possesses experience in federal courts and before the United States International Trade Commission. He earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from John Marshall Law School in 2009. Prior to his legal career, he obtained a B.S. in Electrical Engineering (2004) and an M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering (2006) from the University of Iowa, providing him with a strong technical foundation for complex patent disputes.