Professional Biography
Image of John Skilton

John S. Skilton Of Counsel

  • Madison

    D +1.608.663.7474

    F +1.608.663.7499

    Madison

    33 East Main Street, Suite 201

    Madison, WI 53703-3095

    +1.608.663.7474

    JSkilton@perkinscoie.com

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Overview

John Skilton, a lawyer in the firm's Patent Litigation practice, has 51 years of experience as a trial lawyer. He has managed complex commercial, antitrust, patent and intellectual property, dealer and distribution, contract, product liability, and constitutional disputes. In the past 25 years, John has concentrated his practice in patent litigation, trying more than a dozen patent cases. He has litigated numerous pro bono cases involving civil rights and constitutional issues and has been admitted pro hac vice in state and federal courts nationwide. He also has handled many appeals in numerous areas of law and has made more than 30 oral arguments. He is a member of both the American College of Trial Lawyers and American Academy of Appellate Lawyers.

Ranked by Chambers USA Eleven Years in a Row

Intellectual Property: Litigation

Professional Recognition

  • Ranked by Chambers USA, as “America's Leading Lawyer" for Intellectual Property, 2009, 2011 – 2013, 2015 – 2017, 2021 – 2023; Intellectual Property: Litigation, 2013 – 2023
  • Ranked by Chambers USA, as a "Senior Statespeople," 2021 – 2023
  • Recognized by Global Law Experts as Wisconsin "Expert of the Year" for Copyright Law, Patent Law, and Patent Litigation, 2021 – 2022
  • Named the Best Lawyers, Madison "Lawyer of the Year" for Patent Law, 2016
  • Named the Best Lawyers, Madison "Lawyer of the Year" for Appellate Practice, 2012
  • Recommended in Intellectual Asset Management Patent 1000, 2013 – 2014, 2016 – 2023
  • Listed in The Best Lawyers in America: Appellate Practice; Bet-the-Company Litigation; Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice; Commercial Litigation; Copyright Law; Litigation - Intellectual Property; Litigation - Patent; Patent Law, 1987 – 2024
  • Martindale-Hubbell®, AV Preeminent® Rating
    (AV® Preeminent ™ and BV® Distinguished™ are certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards, and policies.)
  • Listed in Benchmark Litigation’s Guide to America’s Leading Litigation Firms and Attorneys as a Local Litigation Star in Intellectual Property
  • Listed in Benchmark Appellate's Guide to America’s Leading Litigation Firms and Attorneys as an Appellate Litigation Star for the 7th Circuit
  • Recognized as an IP Star by Managing IP, 2013, 2014, 2016 – 2022
  • Listed as a “Super Lawyer” in Wisconsin Super Lawyers, 2005 – 2022
  • Recipient of the Wisconsin Equal Justice Fund's Howard B. Eisenberg Lifetime Achievement Award, 2003
  • Recipient of the Dane County Bar Association's Pro Bono Publico Lifetime Achievement Award, 2005
  • Recipient of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights' Whitney North Seymour Award, 2007 
  • Recipient of the Wisconsin Law Foundation's, Charles L. Goldberg Distinguished Service Award, 2016
  • Recipient of the Wisconsin Law Foundation's, Gordon Sinykin Award for Public Service, 1997
  • Recipient of the Legal Action of Wisconsin's Beyond the Call Award, 1996
  • Recipient of Outstanding State Chair Award by the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation

Professional Leadership

  • Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Co-Chair, 2003 – 2005 
  • State Bar of Wisconsin, President, 1995 – 1996
  • Board of Governors, 1995 – 1997
  • Chair, State Bar’s Delivery of Justice Commission, 1995 – 1996
  • Member, State Bar’s Education Commission, 1995 – 1996
  • Litigation Lawyer (pro bono) for State Bar, 1988 – 1998
  • Recipient of State Bar President’s Award, 1987, 2004, 2006
  • Wisconsin Law Foundation, President, 1996 – 1998
  • Wisconsin Supreme Court District Disciplinary Committee, 2020 – present

American Bar Association

  • Standing Committee on Federal Judiciary, Member, 2018 – present
  • Standing Committee on International Trade in Legal Services, Member, 2017 – present
  • Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility, 2013 – 2015
  • House of Delegates, Member, 2016 – 2019
  • Board of Governors, 2012 – 2015
  • Wisconsin State Delegate, 2009 – 2012
  • Consortium on Justice, Chairman, 2000 – 2002
  • Delivery Committee, Chairman, 1999 – 2002
  • ABF Wisconsin Fellows, Co-chair, 2015 – 2018

UW Law School

  • President, Wisconsin Law Alumni Association, 1992 – 1993
  • Board of Visitors of the Wisconsin Law School, Chair, 1989 – 1992
  • Member, Fairchild Lecture Committee

Federal Bar Associations

  • Seventh Circuit Bar Association, President, 1985 – 1986
  • Western District Bar Association, President, 1992 – 1993
  • Seventh Circuit Committee on Rules, Chair, 1996 – 2000

Other Professional Memberships

  • Wisconsin Equal Justice Coalition, President, 1999 – 2000
  • American College of Trial Lawyers, 1993 – present
  • International Academy of Trial Lawyers, 2000 – present
  • American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, 1993 – present
  • American Law Institute, 1987 – present
  • National Board Member, American Inns of Court Foundation, 1996 – 1999
  • Counselor, James E. Doyle American Inn of Court

Community Involvement

  • Wisconsin’s Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, Chair, 2009 – 2011
  • Civil Justice Reform Act of 1990: Chair, Western District of Wisconsin Advisory Group
  • Wisconsin Federal Nominating Commission: Chair 1994 – 1995
  • Member, Governor Thompson’s Task Force on Specialized Business Court
  • Member, Governor Doyle’s International Trade Committee
  • Wisconsin’s Equal Justice Fund, Founder, 2000

Clerkships

  • Judge Thomas E. Fairchild, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, 1969 - 1970

Experience

News

RELATED INFORMATION

Bar and Court Admissions

  • Wisconsin
  • District of Columbia
  • State Supreme Court of Wisconsin
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
  • Numerous pro hac vice admissions in courts around the country

Education

  • University of Wisconsin Law School, J.D., 1969, Articles Editor, Wisconsin Law Review
  • University of Wisconsin, B.A., 1966