Steven Tepera

Partner

Intellectual Property

T: +1.512.580.9651

T: +1.713.276.7640

A note to say thanks and commend Steven in his performance… It was obvious the Judge was very appreciative of Steven’s encyclopedic knowledge, clearly learning from him.

—A longtime client

Steven Tepera, a member of Pillsbury’s Intellectual Property practice group, focuses his practice on patent prosecution and litigation in federal and state courts, with a record of efficient and conclusive victories.

Steven focuses his practice on intellectual property acquisition and disputes in technology, from software, to energy, to medical goods. While he litigates nationwide, his practice most regularly places him before the busiest patent dockets in the United States, including the Western and Eastern Districts of Texas. He also advises clients on the acquisition, management, and protection of intellectual property rights, including patents, trademarks and copyrights. Steven’s strategy with all clients is to identify winning issues quickly and singularly direct the dispute to that matter to achieve an efficient victory.

Representative Experience

Lead patent counsel and inter partes review (IPR) counsel. Case dismissed after Steven’s client invalidated all claims of the asserted patent and obtained a finding of unpatentable all proposed amended claims. Innovative Pressure Testing, LLC v. Offshore Technical Compliance, LLC, Case No. 4:19-cv-03230 (S.D. Tex.).
Lead patent counsel. Ongoing matter where one patent of a two-patent case was dismissed after Steven’s client obtained favorable claim construction. NLB Corp. v Bingham Manufacturing, Inc. d/b/a Bingham Industries, Case No. 3:20-cv-03639-N (N.D. Tex.).
Lead patent counsel in lawsuit on downhole drilling technology. Case settled after expert reports were exchanged. Impulse Downhole Solutions Ltd. v. Tercel Oilfield Products U.S.A., LLC, Case No. 6:19-cv-00378-ADA (W.D. Tex.).

Trademark counsel in ongoing matter in which Steven’s client obtained a complete win on all preliminary injunctive relief. Hydrafacial LLC f.k.a. Edge Systems LLC v. Cartessa Aesthetics, LLC, Case No. 2:22-CV-01742 JMV-CLW (D.N.J.).

Lead patent counsel in ongoing matter. Edge Systems LLC v. Cartessa Aesthetics, LLC, Case No. 2:20-CV-06082-GRB-ST (E.D.N.Y.).

Lead patent counsel on ongoing matter. RFC Lenders of Texas, LLC v United Supermarkets, L.L.C., Case No. 4:22-CV-00303-ALM, (E.D. Tex.).

One of a family of ongoing cases on which Steven serves as lead patent counsel for a number of defendants against a patent assertion entity. Gravel Rating Systems LLC v. Lowe’s Home Centers, LLC, Case No. 4:21-CV-00150-ALM (E.D. Tex.).

Lead counsel for plaintiff in patent infringement suit involving downhole oil development technology heavily used in the Gulf of Mexico. Steven’s client obtained a complete victory at IPR, where the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) did not institute IPR on any claim of the patent Steven’s client asserted. Top-Co Cementing Prods. Inc. v. Blackhawk Specialty Tools, LLC, Case No. 4:14-cv-01937 (S.D. Tex.).

Counsel in PTAB proceedings (IPRs and CBMRs), and multidefendant patent infringement involving key technology in digital video recorders. Customedia Techs. LLC v. DISH Network Corp., Case No. 2:16-cv-00129 (E.D. Tex.).

Lead counsel for defendant in patent infringement suit on technology used in small businesses, where all claims were dismissed against Steven’s clients. Scanning Techs. Innovations LLC v. iConnect, Case No. 2:16-CV-01080, (E.D. Tex.).

Lead counsel for defendant in employer-employee dispute in which employee sought hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid bonuses. Summary judgment was granted for Steven’s client, and summary judgment was upheld on appeal. Christensen v. Coursetrends, Inc., Case No. D-1-GN-10-001332 (126th Dist. Court, Travis Co. trial), No. 03-12-00821, 2014 WL 4388622 (Austin Court of Appeals).

Lead counsel for plaintiff in securities fraud and breach of contract suit involving claimed licensing of patented environmental technology to overseas governments, where summary judgment was granted for Steven’s client. Burbank & Sutherland, LP v. David Thomas et al, Case No. 2015-10270, (295th Dist. Court, Harris Co.).

Lead counsel in sport fishing technology patent case. Biosonix, LLC v. Hydrowave, LLC, Case No. 4:16-cv-00139 (E.D. Tex.).

Lead counsel for defendant in real estate litigation regarding fraud and deceptive trade practices for allegedly improper disclosures, where Steven forced a voluntary dismissal of all claims against his client. Sinkar v. Barrera, Case No. D-1-GN-13-000844 (419th Dist. Court, Travis Co.).

Lead counsel in IPR for patent-owner in defending oil and gas patent owner from claims of patent invalidity over primitive 1930s drilling technology, where Steven’s client was able to preserve all claims of the challenged patent. Blackhawk Specialty Tools, LLC v. Top-Co Cementing Prods., Inc., IPR2015-01661 (PTAB).

Lead counsel in complex service agreement dispute between internet provider and backend service provider. ETS Cablevision, Co. v. Integrated Broadband Servs., LLC, AAA Case No. 01-16-0003-5258.

Professional Highlights

Member of the Texas Intellectual Property Law Section of the Texas Bar.

Awards

Recognized by IAM Patent 1000 for Patent Litigation in Texas (2025).

Education

J.D., The University of Texas School of Law, 2005
with honors

B.S., Aerospace Engineering, University of Texas, 2002
with honors

Admissions

Texas

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Courts

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas

All State Courts of Texas

Steven Tepera

Areas of Focus

Practices

Representative Experience

Professional Highlights

Steven's Insights