Ward ADR

Ward ADR is a Longview, Texas-based alternative dispute resolution (ADR) boutique, founded by Johnny Ward. The firm's primary mission is to assist parties in resolving disputes outside of the courtroom through mediation. While Ward ADR itself is a specialized ADR practice, its foundation rests on the extensive patent litigation career of its sole named attorney.

The firm's patent litigation experience is rooted in Johnny Ward's prior nearly three decades as a trial lawyer, where he primarily focused on intellectual property disputes in federal courts, particularly the Eastern District of Texas. His background includes appearing as an attorney of record in over 500 patent infringement cases and trying close to 60 cases to a jury verdict. The firm's tracked appearance as local counsel in Stingray IP Solutions LLC v. Vivion Inc. involved patents related to Zigbee and low-rate wireless personal area network (LR-WPAN) technology, targeting smart home devices. Historically, Ward's litigation practice has been recognized for its involvement in high-stakes intellectual property trials, including cases focused on wireless communication technologies like Wi-Fi standards.

In its capacity as local counsel in patent litigation, the firm has primarily appeared on the plaintiff side, with its only tracked appearance representing a patent assertion entity (NPE), Stingray IP Solutions LLC. This aligns with the previous litigation profile of Johnny Ward, who, at his former firm, was recognized for significant plaintiff-side successes.

A notable outcome for the firm, as local counsel, was in Stingray IP Solutions LLC v. Vivion Inc., which closed on March 24, 2025, with a dismissal with prejudice via a joint motion, indicating a negotiated resolution between the parties. In his prior litigation career, Johnny Ward, while at Ward, Smith & Hill, PLLC, served as local counsel on a trial team that secured a $502.6 million patent infringement verdict against Apple Inc. for patents related to VPN on Demand and FaceTime.

Ward ADR does not emphasize a dedicated PTAB or IPR practice as part of its current services, aligning with its focus on dispute resolution and mediation. The firm's key partner and practice leader is Johnny Ward, who has been recognized by Texas Super Lawyers for Intellectual Property Litigation from 2003-2026 and by Lawdragon as a Leading 500 Litigator in 2024.