Buether Joe & Counselors

As of May 7, 2026

To: Senior Partner
From: Patent Litigation Analyst
Subject: Firm Professional Summary: Buether Joe & Counselors, LLC

Firm Overview

Buether Joe & Counselors, LLC is a Dallas-based intellectual property and commercial litigation boutique. The firm was established by attorneys who previously led the IP litigation practice at Greenberg Traurig's Dallas office. While not a large firm, with attorney counts estimated between 6 and 10, it has achieved recognition for its regional strength. It holds a "Tier 1" ranking for Litigation - Intellectual Property in the Dallas/Fort Worth area from Best Law Firms and is also recognized in the Chambers and Partners "Spotlight" table for Intellectual Property law in Dallas. The firm operates from a single office in Dallas, Texas.

IP Litigation Specialty & Side Preference

The firm's patent litigation practice demonstrates a clear focus on representing plaintiffs. Based on tracked appearances, Buether Joe & Counselors has acted as plaintiff's counsel in eight of nine cases. This strong preference suggests a business model centered on patent enforcement and monetization. The subject matter of these cases points to expertise in software, e-commerce, and network communications technologies, with representative suits involving defendants like Wix Com Ltd, Starbucks Corp, Verizon Communications Inc., and CrowdStrike, Inc. The firm's partners, Eric Buether and Chris Joe, also have a history of significant patent litigation victories, including a notable $41 million judgment for Halliburton in the Eastern District of Texas prior to forming their current firm.

Notable Representations

The firm consistently litigates against large, well-known operating companies. Prominent defendants in its tracked cases include Starbucks, Verizon, AMC Entertainment, Oracle, and Toyota Motor Corporation. The matter of Toyota Motor Corporation v. Bunker Hill Technologies, LLC is the only tracked case where the firm is listed on the defense side, with Christopher M. Joe serving as lead counsel. The remaining cases, such as Monticello Enterprises LLC v. Starbucks Corp and Disintermedation Services Inc. v. Verizon Communications Inc., et al., show the firm acting as lead counsel for patent-holding entities. Publicly available information on specific trial verdicts or settlement outcomes for these recent cases is limited.

Key Partners & PTAB Practice

The practice is led by founding partners Eric W. Buether and Christopher M. Joe. Both attorneys have extensive backgrounds in patent litigation, having practiced at notable firms including McKool Smith and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher (for Buether) before leading the IP litigation group at Greenberg Traurig in Dallas. Both partners are frequently named in the firm's cases and have been repeatedly recognized by Super Lawyers for their work in intellectual property litigation. There is no significant public record of a high-volume Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) practice for the firm, suggesting its focus remains primarily on district court litigation.