Gentry Locke

Gentry Locke: Patent Litigation Summary

Firm Overview:
Gentry Locke is a full-service regional law firm founded in 1923, with its headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia. The firm operates additional offices in Lynchburg, Richmond, and Norfolk, establishing a significant presence across the Commonwealth of Virginia. With approximately 86 lawyers, Gentry Locke is recognized as one of the largest law firms in Virginia. While not an AmLaw-ranked firm, it is positioned as a prominent regional player, recognized by Chambers USA for its general commercial litigation practice, among other areas.

IP Litigation Specialty:
Gentry Locke's intellectual property practice handles a range of disputes, including patent, trademark, and copyright infringement, as well as trade secrets and unfair competition. The firm's website notes experience in technology disputes involving software and computer technology. Based on authoritative data, the firm has served as local counsel for the plaintiff, Thales DIS France SA, in a patent case involving the Canadian Bank Note Company, suggesting familiarity with technology sectors pertinent to that dispute. The firm states it has resources to provide patent assistance and its attorneys litigate patent infringement cases as part of a broader commercial litigation practice.

Side Preference & Notable Cases:
The available data indicates Gentry Locke has recently acted on the plaintiff's side, serving as local counsel in Thales DIS France SA v. Canadian Bank Note Company Ltd et al. This is the only tracked patent case, limiting a broader conclusion on side preference. The firm's litigation practice describes itself as representing both companies and individuals in business disputes. Beyond the Thales matter, specific outcomes in patent litigation are not publicly detailed. The firm's broader litigation results include successful motions to dismiss and summary judgments in commercial, real estate, and trade secret matters.

PTAB / IPR Practice:
There is no indication from publicly available information that Gentry Locke maintains a high-volume or specialized Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) practice for inter partes reviews (IPRs) or post-grant reviews (PGRs). The firm’s intellectual property practice description focuses primarily on litigation in federal and state courts, trademark proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB), and IP counseling.

Key Partners:
Key attorneys associated with the firm’s intellectual property and commercial litigation practices include:

• Maxwell C. Main, who is listed as local counsel in the Thales DIS France SA patent case.
• Kevin W. Holt, a partner whose practice includes intellectual property litigation, primarily in federal court. He has been recognized in Best Lawyers in America for Intellectual Property Litigation.
• Jake L. Bryant, whose practice focuses on IP protection and litigation, technology contracting, and data privacy. He assists clients with infringement litigation and matters involving emerging technologies like generative AI.