T. John "Johnny" Ward Jr.

T. John "Johnny" Ward Jr. is an accomplished East Texas attorney with extensive experience in patent litigation, particularly representing plaintiffs. His practice has historically focused on intellectual property disputes across various technology sectors, including software, computing, financial technology, fuel pricing systems, and display technologies such as OLED. He is known for his work in high-stakes patent infringement trials, primarily operating on the plaintiff side, as evidenced by his tracked appearances and numerous successful verdicts.

Throughout his career, Mr. Ward was a name partner at Ward, Smith & Hill, PLLC, a firm recognized for its national reputation in complex commercial litigation and intellectual property law in the Eastern District of Texas. He also appeared with The Dacus Firm, Ward & Smith Law Firm, and the Law Office of T. John Ward, Jr., often serving as local counsel in patent cases. Public records indicate that as of October 2024, Mr. Ward transitioned from active trial practice at Ward, Smith & Hill, with his focus shifting to mediation services through Ward ADR, after appearing as an attorney of record in over 500 patent infringement cases and trying close to 60 cases to a jury verdict.

Notable cases reflecting his patent litigation experience include securing a $9.25 million patent infringement verdict for clients against Murphy USA Inc. related to fuel pricing systems. He also served as local counsel in a trial that resulted in a $502.8 million patent infringement award against Apple Inc. and helped secure a $62.7 million award against Samsung Display Company Ltd. concerning screen display patents. While he has a robust litigation background, extensive public records specifically detailing his regular involvement in PTAB or IPR proceedings are not readily available.

Mr. Ward was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 1995. He earned his Juris Doctor from Texas Tech University School of Law in 1995 and his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Oklahoma in 1992.