Partner Matthew Bernstein was interviewed in “Q&A: International IP Expert Matthew Bernstein on Patent Litigants’ Attraction to Texas,” an article in Westlaw Journal, on how the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas has become what some have called “the busiest place in the country for patent litigation.”

“The Western District of Texas has become much more popular for two reasons. First, unlike the Eastern District of Texas, which is not a home of many technology companies, the Western District of Texas, particularly Austin, is an established and still growing center for technology in the United States. Many U.S. companies have offices in or around Austin, making venue possible under the current TC Heartland framework.

Second, Judge [Alan D.] Albright was sworn in to the bench in Waco in September 2018. Judge Albright spent over 20 years litigating patent cases for both plaintiffs and defendants, and this experience was viewed by many as an indication he would be a good judge for patent cases. Once taking the bench, Judge Albright has instituted streamlined rules and scheduled his patent cases for relatively quick trials, which some litigants, particularly plaintiffs, like.”