IP should add value to your company. And litigation should be a tool that advances that value.
I'm an IP litigation partner at Norton Rose Fulbright in Austin. I represent companies in patent disputes where the stakes run from millions to billions of dollars — on both sides: defending companies accused of infringement, and asserting patents for the companies that own them.
If you manage disputes like these, you already know what makes them hard. Patent cases are won in the details and the depth of attention they demand is exactly why most people hand them to outside counsel.
How I approach the work
Engineering-grade depth
I actually understand the technology. Before law school, I earned degrees in electrical and biomedical engineering. I dig into the complexity of the case.
Focus on what actually matters
I'm conscious of what this costs you. Nobody wants to pay for litigation. I run my cases focused on the things that actually matter — and I tell you where the case stands at every stage. There is no black box and no blank check.
Recognition
I was selected by my peers for inclusion in the 2027 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® for Litigation – Intellectual Property. See the firm's 2027 recognition announcement.
I was previously recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America from 2021 through 2026. My firm biography lists the categories and years.
Background
Before law, I served as a U.S. Navy officer, deployed in the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans.
I earned my engineering degrees at Vanderbilt University and my JD with honors at The University of Texas at Austin. My patent practice includes federal district courts, the ITC, and the PTAB. See my official firm biography for more on my background and experience.
What I write about
I write on LinkedIn about patent litigation, the PTAB, how AI is changing both and things I've learned as I've grown in the practice of law.
If you're interested in these topics, follow along.
Published ITC analysis
A lowered bar to prove economic domestic industry at the ITC
Talbot Hansum and Peter M. Hillegas · Norton Rose Fulbright · April 2025
This article examines the Federal Circuit’s Lashify decision and the types of U.S. investment that may support an ITC domestic-industry showing.
How should a business choose patent litigation counsel?
Choose counsel by examining how the proposed team would investigate, manage, and resolve your dispute. A useful first conversation should connect the patents and products to the business decision you need to make.
Ask about four areas:
- Technical understanding. How will the team learn the product, identify the disputed claim language, and work with engineers and experts?
- Forum experience. What experience does the team have in the court or agency involved, including the ITC if imported products are at issue?
- Case leadership. Who will make strategic decisions, supervise discovery, and keep the business informed? Who will do the day-to-day work?
- Decision points. What can be assessed early, what requires further evidence, and when should the company revisit litigation, licensing, or settlement options?
Request a phased work plan with assumptions, staffing, and budget ranges. Discuss conflicts and availability before sharing confidential material. Relevant experience matters, but a proposed strategy should explain the work needed for your particular dispute and the uncertainties that remain.
For my background and public professional experience, see my official firm biography.