Nicholas Rotz

Specialty / focus areas. Nicholas W. Rotz is a Washington, D.C.–based patent litigator at Hogan Lovells US LLP (senior associate). His practice centers on patent and antitrust litigation involving chemical, automotive, wireless/software, energy, and healthcare technologies, with additional experience in patent prosecution, portfolio evaluation, and freedom-to-operate counseling. His chemical engineering background maps directly onto his work in industrial chemical patent disputes (e.g., beverage-can coatings for PPG) and automotive electronics cases.

Side preference / firm context. Rotz consistently represents operating companies defending against non-practicing entity (NPE) and competitor patent assertions, rather than prosecuting cases for patent owners. His single tracked appearance — Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC v. Yechezkal Evan Spero — is listed as plaintiff-side only because Mercedes-Benz was the petitioner/plaintiff in the IPR posture; the underlying dispute is Mercedes defending against NPE assertions by Spero's entity, Daedalus Prime LLC. All verified matters (PPG, Mercedes-Benz, Sherwin-Williams) follow the same defense-side pattern. He joined Hogan Lovells after law school (apart from a Third Circuit clerkship) and has been with the firm throughout his litigation career.

Notable cases / outcomes. (1) Sherwin-Williams v. PPG Industries (W.D. Pa.): Rotz was on the trial team that won a unanimous March 2022 jury verdict invalidating all five asserted Sherwin-Williams patents on beverage-can coatings; the Federal Circuit affirmed in July 2024. (2) In re Certain Power Inverters and Converters (ITC Inv. No. 337-TA-1265, Arigna Technology): part of the Hogan Lovells team that secured a trial win for Mercedes-Benz, with the ALJ finding non-infringement and invalidity. (3) Mercedes-Benz v. Daedalus Prime / Spero: counsel on the IPR campaign against Spero's asserted patents, which the Federal Circuit affirmed in May 2026 (Nos. 2025-1306, -1307, -1473).

PTAB / IPR experience. Rotz appears regularly in IPR proceedings, principally as petitioner's counsel for Mercedes-Benz in the IPR2023-01333/-01343 series against Daedalus Prime LLC, including evidence objections, depositions, and a Director Review request before the PTAB.

Bar / education. B.S. Chemical Engineering, West Virginia University (2013); J.D., University of Virginia School of Law (2016); admitted in D.C., Virginia, and before the USPTO (Reg. No. 75,959).