Gilliam & Smith

Gilliam & Smith is a Marshall, Texas-based litigation boutique with a strong regional presence, also maintaining an office in Tyler, Texas. Recognized in the Chambers USA "Spotlight" guide for Intellectual Property, the firm is noted for its experienced trial lawyers handling complex patent and trade infringement disputes. While not an AmLaw 100 or 200 firm, Gilliam & Smith positions itself as trial experts, having represented Fortune 500 companies, small and mid-sized businesses, and individuals.

The firm's patent litigation practice encompasses a wide array of technological innovations. Their experience includes disputes involving digital video recording, on-demand technology, virtual private network software, network messaging and data transmission, electronic payment systems, and pharmaceutical and medical devices. A notable tracked case includes Light Guide Innovations, LLC v. Hisense Company Ltd., et al., filed in the Eastern District of Texas in January 2025, concerning patents related to LED strips for television or display backlighting.

Gilliam & Smith actively represents both plaintiffs and defendants in federal court patent infringement litigation across Texas and nationwide, serving as local or trial counsel in over a thousand intellectual property disputes. The firm states it has been among the top three busiest law firms in the country for patent litigation defendants from 2021-2025 and claims the second most patent jury trials nationally from 2008-2025. Their single tracked appearance to date involved defending Hisense Company Ltd. In a related development to the Light Guide Innovations case, an Inter Partes Review (IPR2025-01538) was filed by Hisense USA Corp. against Light Guide Innovations LLC, which received a discretionary denial in January 2026.

Key partners leading the firm's litigation efforts include Harry L. "Gil" Gillam, Jr., Melissa R. Smith, and J. Travis Underwood. Melissa R. Smith is recognized as a key contact for the firm's Intellectual Property practice by Chambers and has been designated as a "go-to" lawyer in IP by numerous Fortune 500 companies. Travis Underwood is a trial lawyer known for his courtroom experience, having tried ten jury trials in the last two and a half years and previously clerking for Judge Rodney Gilstrap in the Eastern District of Texas.