Hill, Kertscher & Pixley

An Atlanta-based litigation boutique, Hill, Kertscher & Wharton, LLP (HKW) provides intellectual property and business litigation services. The firm, with approximately nine attorneys, represents a range of clients from startups to larger corporations in complex legal matters. While the firm is not ranked in the AmLaw 100 or Vault 100, individual attorneys have been recognized by publications such as Super Lawyers and The Best Lawyers in America.

The firm’s patent litigation practice handles disputes across a broad spectrum of technologies, including software and hardware, telecommunications, medical devices, and mechanical engineering. The firm’s website indicates that its attorneys have participated in over 150 patent infringement cases and that they represent clients in popular patent litigation venues, including districts in Texas, Delaware, and California. The firm’s experience in the mechanical and computer hardware space is reflected in its role as local counsel for the defendant in Ironburg Inventions Ltd. v. Collective Minds Gaming Co. Ltd., a case involving patents on video game controllers.

Based on its public statements and case history, Hill, Kertscher & Wharton represents both plaintiffs and defendants in patent disputes. The firm notes that while it "frequently offer[s] patent defense for major technology companies," it also represents patent owners in enforcement actions, sometimes on a contingent or partial-contingency basis. The single tracked case provided shows a defense-side appearance. The broader litigation involving the Ironburg patents against other defendants, such as Valve Corporation, has resulted in significant jury verdicts and Federal Circuit appeals that have clarified the law on IPR estoppel.

Hill, Kertscher & Wharton actively promotes its capabilities before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), stating that Inter Partes Review (IPR) work is a "key portion of most patent disputes." The firm's website notes its national recognition for post-grant review proceedings. The patent litigation practice is led by co-founder Steven G. Hill, whose biography notes lead counsel experience in over 100 patent disputes. Martha Decker is also listed as an attorney at the firm with a practice including intellectual property.