Media Coverage
Source: Daily Journal
Media Coverage
Press Contacts: Erik Cummins, Matt Hyams, Taina Rosa, Olivia Meyer
05.14.26
U.S. District Judge Alan D. Albright transformed the Western District of Texas into a leading destination for patent litigation. However, his influence diminished after a 2022 rule change made it impossible for plaintiffs to guarantee their cases would be assigned to him, and his upcoming retirement has raised questions about the district’s future prominence. Recent coverage suggests patent cases may shift back to venues such as the Eastern District of Texas and the District of Delaware, which plaintiffs continue to favor for their fast-moving dockets and settlement leverage.
In an interview with Daily Journal, Intellectual Property partner Steven Tepera expressed a more optimistic outlook, saying that he thought the inertia created in the Western District will not immediately abate for patent cases.
“[Albright] ramped up patent litigation in the Western District in a way that won’t easily be stopped,” he said.
He noted that Texas’ growth and continuing appeal to technology companies, particularly in the Austin area, has strengthened the Western District’s long-term viability beyond Albright’s tenure. Specific patent rules have been adopted by different judges in the district that may continue to be seen as attractive to plaintiffs. And with a sizeable bank of recent patent trials, plaintiffs gained familiarity with the jury pool and how they process these types of disputes.
“Given the Western District’s established familiarity with patent cases, and Texas’ continued status as a magnet for technology activity, we expect [it] to remain an attractive patent venue,” he added.