Ward and Smith

Ward and Smith, P.A. is a prominent regional law firm with offices across North Carolina, including Asheville, Greenville, Morehead City, New Bern, Raleigh, and Wilmington, as well as an office in Columbia, South Carolina. The firm, which traces its roots to 1895, is recognized as a mid-sized firm, ranking #111 among U.S. law firms with 50 to 150 attorneys in SurePoint's 2025 Leopard Law Firm Index. Chambers USA has ranked Ward and Smith's Intellectual Property Practice Group in Band 3.

The firm's intellectual property litigation practice offers comprehensive services, including prosecuting and defending patent infringement claims in federal court, handling patent reexaminations, reissues, and interference cases before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and addressing patent licensing disputes. Their technical expertise spans diverse areas such as medical devices, geotechnical systems, microfluidic devices, textiles, home appliances, mechanical and electronic systems, computer hardware and software, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and agricultural biotechnology.

Based on available case data, Ward and Smith has served as lead counsel for plaintiff-side patent litigation, including in ETN Capital LLC v. Unknown. The firm's practice description confirms their capability to both prosecute and defend patent infringement claims, indicating a balanced approach to representing clients on both the plaintiff and defendant sides in IP disputes.

While specific public verdicts or Federal Circuit appeals for patent litigation were not readily verifiable, the firm's IP litigation team is actively involved in patent prosecution and defense. They handle post-grant proceedings before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, including patent reexaminations, reissues, and interference cases.

Key partners in the intellectual property litigation practice include Gavin B. Parsons, who has substantial experience litigating patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret claims. Angela P. Doughty leads the Intellectual Property Practice Group, and Joseph A. Schouten is also a recognized attorney in the group.