Overview
Bruce Sostek is the co-executive partner of Holland & Knight's Dallas office, where he practices in the areas of intellectual property (IP) litigation, complex commercial litigation, and the use of intellectual property and technology to advance strategic business objectives. He has tried cases involving patent, trademark and copyright infringement; theft of trade secrets; unfair competition; and other IP concerns in federal courts throughout the country, at the U.S. International Trade Commission and on appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
Mr. Sostek frequently counsels clients on the identification, valuation, licensing and litigation of IP, including blockchain and other digital assets, and is actively involved in data privacy and cybersecurity, including working with law enforcement on major data breaches and fraudulent transfers. In addition, he maintains an active practice in media, sports and entertainment law, having represented several prominent Texas sports teams and individual athletes.
Mr. Sostek is a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, and has been recognized among the "500 Leading Lawyers in America" by Lawdragon. He is listed in Chambers Global and Chambers USA among the world's and America's leading lawyers for business, is regularly identified as a Texas Super Lawyer, and has been named the Dallas Litigation-Patent "Lawyer of the Year" in 2013, 2017 and 2021 by The Best Lawyers in America. Mr. Sostek was most recently inducted into the D Magazine "D Best - Hall of Fame" for being recognized as a Best Lawyer in Dallas for more than 15 years.
According to Chambers USA, he is "brilliant in the courtroom, gives good advice, and gains the confidence of his clients."
Mr. Sostek teaches Patent Litigation as an adjunct professor at the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, and is a frequent speaker, moderator and author on IP topics.
Representative Experience
- Represented one of the world's largest semiconductor manufacturers in contemporaneous litigation matters filed in multiple forums involving 13 patents pertaining to microelectronics, video and telecommunications technology
- Represented a major semiconductor company in a Section 337 action before the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) involving seven patents in a case with a seven-month time period between initiation of the investigation and trial; the USITC's finding of no violation was affirmed on appeal by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- Defended a prominent National Football League team against copyright claims related to the use of photographs in game day and season programs; represented prominent National Basketball Association coaches in proceedings with the NBA
- Defended a high-technology company against claims of trademark infringement and dilution by invalidating a federally registered and incontestable trademark related to electromechanical devices; summary judgment affirmed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
- Represented a plaintiff in several patent infringement cases involving telephone dialer chips and static random access memory (SRAMs) in actions before the USITC (Section 337 proceedings) to preclude importation and sale of infringing telephone dialers and computer memory products
- Defended a regional athletic footwear and clothing franchisor against trademark and trade dress infringement claims brought by a national retail athletic shoe chain
- Represented a manufacturer of microelectronics devices against claims of patent infringement involving a process for making power metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) devices; favorable judgment affirmed by the Federal Circuit
Credentials
- Emory University School of Law, J.D.
- State University of New York at Albany, M.A.
- Union College, B.A., cum laude
- District of Columbia
- Massachusetts
- New York
- Texas
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- 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 Western District of Texas
- American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow
- Litigation Counsel of America, Fellow
- Barbara M.G. Lynn American Inn of Court, Master
- Texas Bar Foundation, Life Sustaining Fellow
- Dallas Bar Foundation, Life Fellow
- American Intellectual Property Law Association
- Federal Circuit Bar Association
- The Center for American and International Law (CAIL), Member, Board of Trustees, 2017-2021; Executive Committee; CAIL Institute for Law and Technology
- The Greenhill School, Board Chair, 2017-2019; Board of Trustees, 2009-2021, Executive Committee; Audit and Risk Management Committee, Chair
- The University of Texas at Austin, Texas Parents Advisory Board, 2015-2018
- The University of Texas at Austin, Longhorn Family Leadership Council, 2017-2022
- Emory Law Journal, Editor
- Chambers Global – The World's Leading Lawyers for Business guide, Intellectual Property: Patent, 2020-2024
- Chambers USA – America's Leading Business Lawyers guide, Intellectual Property Law, 2004-2023
- The Best Lawyers in America guide, Litigation - Intellectual Property, Litigation - Patent, Patent Law, Technology Law, 2005-2024
- Leading Litigators in America, Lawdragon 500, 2022, 2024
- Texas Super Lawyers magazine, 2003-2023
- IAM Patent 1000, the World's Leading Patent Professionals - Litigation, International Asset Management magazine, 2012-2023
- The Best Lawyers in America guide, Dallas-Fort Worth Lawyer of the Year, Litigation - Patent; Litigation - Intellectual Property, 2013, 2017, 2021
- The Best Lawyers in America guide, Dallas Technology Law Lawyer of the Year, 2014, 2016
- The American Lawyer, Top Rated Lawyer, Intellectual Property Law, 2021
- Top 100 Overall, Texas Super Lawyers magazine, 2010-2021
- Top 100 Dallas/Fort Worth Region, Texas Super Lawyers magazine, 2010-2021
- Outstanding IP Litigator Awards, Managing Intellectual Property North America Outstanding IP Litigator – Texas, Shortlist, 2016
- IAM Global Leaders, United States: Texas, International Asset Management magazine, 2021, 2022
- IP Stars, 2014-2016, 2018
- Best Lawyers in Dallas Hall of Fame, D Magazine, 2022
- Best Lawyers in Dallas, D Magazine, Intellectual Property: General, 2003, 2005, 2007-2023
- Best Business Lawyers in Dallas, D Magazine, Intellectual Property, 2009
- Go-To Lawyer, Intellectual Property Law, Texas Lawyer "Go-To Guide," 2007
- IAM Patent Litigation 250, The World's Leading Patent Litigators, International Asset Management magazine, 2011
- Who's Who Legal: Texas, Patents and Trademarks, 2007-2018
- Marquis Who's Who in American Law, 2007-Present
- The International Who's Who of Patent Lawyers, 2011, 2013-2015
- ICFM Leading Lawyers 500, InterContinental Finance magazine, 2013
- 500 Leading Lawyers in America, Lawdragon, 2006