Theodore B. Olson

Theodore B. Olson, a highly distinguished appellate and constitutional law advocate and former Solicitor General of the United States, was a partner and Of Counsel at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP for nearly six decades until his passing on November 13, 2024. While his career was primarily concentrated on appellate and constitutional law, federal legislation, and complex commercial disputes, his extensive Supreme Court practice included cases involving diverse areas, including patent and antitrust matters.

Within the scope of patent litigation, Mr. Olson's tracked appearances indicate a focus on defending operating companies. His sole tracked patent case involved representing Apple Inc. as a defendant in Telcom Ventures LLC v. Apple Inc. He also represented Apple Inc. in the high-profile FBI-Apple encryption dispute, which, while not a patent case, further illustrates his role in defending major technology companies in complex legal challenges.

Mr. Olson earned his law degree from the University of California at Berkeley (Boalt Hall) in 1965, where he was a member of the California Law Review and Order of the Coif. His distinguished career also included significant government service as Solicitor General of the United States from 2001 to 2004 and Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Office of Legal Counsel from 1981 to 1984. There is no indication from available public records that he regularly appeared in inter partes review (IPR) or other Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) proceedings.