Greer, Burns & Crain

As of May 1, 2026

Professional Summary: Greer, Burns & Crain, Ltd. Patent Litigation Practice

Greer, Burns & Crain, Ltd. (GBC) is an intellectual property boutique law firm headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with an additional office in San Diego. With a roster of approximately 20-25 attorneys, the firm operates as a specialized IP shop rather than a large "BigLaw" firm and is recognized by legal publications like Chambers and Partners in its Illinois Spotlight table for intellectual property. GBC offers a full range of IP legal services, representing a diverse client base that includes multinational corporations, universities, and individual inventors. The firm's partners maintain a hands-on, high partner-to-associate ratio to ensure experienced oversight on client matters.

The firm's patent litigation and prosecution practice is built on the technical expertise of its attorneys, who hold degrees in electrical, computer, chemical, and mechanical engineering, as well as physics and life sciences. This enables them to handle patent matters across a wide array of technologies. The tracked case list shows the firm representing consumer products company Conair LLC, suggesting experience with mechanical and electrical appliances. While the firm litigates across the IP spectrum, it is particularly well-known for a high-volume plaintiff-side anti-counterfeiting and trademark enforcement practice, which has resulted in the firm being a top filer of such cases nationally.

Based on the authoritative case list, GBC's recent patent litigation work has been on behalf of the plaintiff. This aligns with the firm's broader, dominant focus on plaintiff-side representation in its high-volume trademark enforcement actions. The firm's website states that its attorneys represent clients in both enforcing their IP rights and defending them from infringement charges. One of the firm's highlighted successes includes the successful defense of a hair clipper company in a patent infringement suit, which was won on summary judgment and affirmed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

The firm's most prominent tracked patent case is Conair LLC v. Tehrani Corp et al., filed in the Northern District of Illinois in April 2026. Given the recent filing date, there are no public outcomes in this matter. There is no readily available data to suggest that Greer, Burns & Crain has a significant or high-volume practice before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) in Inter Partes Review (IPR) proceedings. Key partners and founding shareholders active in the firm's patent practice include Lawrence J. Crain and Patrick G. Burns. Mr. Crain has extensive experience in worldwide patent prosecution and litigation, while Mr. Burns has litigated patent disputes in federal courts and the International Trade Commission. Other attorneys listed in the firm's tracked case history include Justin R. Gaudio.