Rachel P. Thompson

Rachel P. Thompson — Patent Litigation Profile

Specialty / focus areas. Thompson's tracked patent work is concentrated in telecommunications hardware and IoT/wireless-device enforcement: she appears in both tracked matters on behalf of Barcelona-based Fractus, S.A., an antenna-technology inventor and IP licensing company, in Eastern District of Texas cases alleging infringement of geometry-based, multi-band antenna patents (U.S. Patent Nos. 8,456,365; 8,810,458; 11,031,677; 11,349,200; and 12,095,149) in fleet-telematics and dash-cam products (Geotab's GO8/GO9 devices; Verizon's SmartWitness, VT-400/VT-410, and Verizon Connect trackers). There is no public record of her handling pharma, software, or standard-essential-patent work.

Side preference. Her case list is one plaintiff-side matter and one defendant-side matter, but both are appearances for the same client, Fractus S.A. — essentially the patent-holder/licensor side of the docket: she represents Fractus as enforcer against operating companies (Geotab; Verizon/Cellco) and as respondent in the Verizon-related declaratory posture. Her Susman Godfrey bio does not describe a broader pre-existing patent practice, so drawing a general "NPE-side vs. operating-company defense" preference from two matters would overstate the record.

Firm context. Thompson is a litigation attorney (Counsel/of-counsel level) in Susman Godfrey L.L.P.'s Los Angeles office. Her firm bio indicates she joined Susman Godfrey directly from judicial clerkships — for Chief Judge Priscilla Richman (5th Cir.) and Judge Karin Immergut (D. Or.) — with no prior law firm listed; she is not in-house. Note: she should not be confused with Susman Godfrey's Seattle patent partner Rachel S. Black.

Notable cases and outcomes. Both tracked matters are part of the December 2024 Fractus enforcement campaign before Judge Gilstrap (E.D. Tex., Marshall), with Thompson filing pro hac vice appearances and handling early filings for Fractus. Fractus and Verizon settled in March 2026, and the case (No. 2:24-cv-01009, consolidated lead case) was dismissed with prejudice; the parallel Geotab action (No. 2:24-cv-01008) also settled in 2026, both on undisclosed terms — no verdicts or Federal Circuit appeals involving her are documented.

PTAB / IPR experience. No verified IPR/PGR appearances by Thompson were found in the sources reviewed. The surrounding Fractus portfolio has been challenged before the Board (e.g., Vivint, Inc. v. Fractus, IPR2024-00087/00088, settled pre-institution; Geotab/Cellco petitions against the '677 patent, including IPR2026-00196), but her personal role in any PTAB matter is not documented.

Bar / education. California bar; J.D., UC Berkeley School of Law (Order of the Coif); A.B., Harvard; S.M., MIT — per her Susman Godfrey bio.