Carlson, Gaskey & Olds

Carlson, Gaskey & Olds is an intellectual property boutique firm headquartered in Birmingham, Michigan. While the firm does not appear in major national rankings like AmLaw or Chambers for overall firm performance, it is recognized regionally for its patent law and patent litigation expertise, with a "Tier 1" ranking in Troy for Patent Law and "Tier 2" for Litigation - Patent by Best Law Firms. The firm's attorneys also receive individual recognition, with 10 selected to the Super Lawyers or Rising Stars lists for intellectual property. The firm has approximately 21-45 attorneys nationwide, with 23 IP attorneys in the Metro Detroit area as of 2021.

The firm specializes in a broad range of intellectual property litigation, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets, as well as commercial litigation. Their technical proficiencies in patent infringement disputes encompass areas such as medical device technology, aerospace and automotive technologies, and complex electro-mechanical technologies. Carlson, Gaskey & Olds demonstrates an balanced approach to patent litigation, representing both plaintiffs and defendants. The firm's tracked cases reflect this dual capacity, with one appearance on the plaintiff side and one on the defendant side.

A notable outcome for the firm's defense practice is in Valve Corporation v. Ironburg Inventions Ltd., where Carlson, Gaskey & Olds represented Valve Corporation. In this case, Ironburg Inventions was awarded over $4 million in damages following a jury verdict of willful infringement, a decision that was largely affirmed by the Federal Circuit on appeal in 2023. For Neomedia Technologies, Inc. v. Amazon.com, Inc., where Michael D. Gannon was listed as Of Counsel for the plaintiff, a verifiable public outcome specifically tied to Carlson, Gaskey & Olds' involvement in this particular case was not found in the available information.

Carlson, Gaskey & Olds also maintains a robust Post-Grant Proceedings practice, actively representing clients in inter partes review (IPR) and other matters before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. They have a track record of both bringing and defending IPRs. However, specific public data on the firm's overall PTAB filing or defense volume is not available.

Key IP litigation partners at the firm include Theodore W. Olds III, who has served as lead trial counsel in numerous matters, and Todd W. Barrett, a shareholder who actively engages in patent infringement disputes across the nation. Alex Szypa, another partner, also focuses on intellectual property litigation and post-grant proceedings, bringing a valuable perspective from both patent prosecution and litigation. David J. Gaskey is also a named partner with expertise in intellectual property.