Tara Kurtis
Tara is an advocate for her clients' patent interests across all stages of litigation.
Tara Kurtis draws on her time spent as a law clerk for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit to inform trial and appellate strategy. With a deep understanding of appellate practice and procedures, Tara helps clients identify and navigate difficult legal issues to achieve their objectives.
Tara has experience spanning prelitigation strategizing through appellate and en banc review. At the trial stage, Tara has managed discovery teams, prepared witnesses for trial, conducted direct and rebuttal examinations, devised claim construction plans, argued motions, drafted expert reports and post-trial motions, and advised trial teams, all with an eye toward preparing the best appellate record possible. At the appellate stage, she has critically reviewed trial court and Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) decisions to identify the optimal appealable issues, drafted appeal briefs, mandamus petitions, and petitions for en banc review, and successfully presented her clients' cases at oral argument before the Federal Circuit. Tara has represented clients in a range of technology areas, including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, LEDs, industrial roofing, database systems, video compression, website operations, and radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology.
Areas of focus
Education & Credentials
Education
- University of Illinois College of Law, J.D., summa cum laude, Order of the Coif, Admissions Editor, University of Illinois Law Review; Co-Editor-In-Chief, Illinois Bar Journal Law Update Column, 2016
- Yale University, B.S., Biomedical Engineering, 2013
Bar and Court Admissions
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Illinois
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U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
Related Employment
- Schiff Hardin LLP, Chicago, IL, Associate, 2016-2019; Summer Associate, 2015
Clerkships
- Hon. Richard G. Taranto, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
Professional Recognition
Recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for Intellectual Property Law; Litigation - Patent, 2022-2025
*The Supreme Court of Illinois does not recognize certifications of specialties in the practice of law and no certificate, award or recognition is a requirement to practice law in Illinois.
Impact
Professional Leadership
- Federal Circuit Bar Association — Regional Programs Committee, Vice Chair
- Chicago Women in IP — Scholarship Committee Member
- The Richard Linn American Inn of Court — Member
Insights
News
Professional Experience
NXP USA, Inc. v. Impinj, Inc.
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
Argued on behalf of Impinj, Inc., in appeal affirming PTAB finding of patentability for client’s substitute claims regarding RFID systems.
Upaid Systems, Ltd. v. Card Concepts, Inc.
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
Argued on behalf of Card Concepts, Inc., in appeal affirming summary judgment of noninfringement by client’s internet-based laundry-machine payment systems.
In re Google LLC
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
Successfully petitioned the Federal Circuit for writs of mandamus directing the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas to transfer two separate patent infringement suit against Google to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. In both cases, the Federal Circuit agreed with Google that the district court clearly abused its discretion in denying transfer, granted the petition, and ordered transfer to California.
Aftechmobile v. Salesforce.com, inc.
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
Represented salesforce.com, inc., in appeal affirming dismissal of complaint based on ineligibility of patent claiming mobile-application-creation software.
Patent Infringement Case
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
Provided oversight to client’s trial team regarding appellate considerations for trial strategy and proposed jury instructions in one of the first patent infringement jury trials before Judge Alan Albright.
Hospira, Inc. v. Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC*
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
Represented Fresenius Kabi in successfully defending a patent infringement suit concerning a generic pharmaceutical drug. Argued Daubert motion and presented expert witness testimony at trial. Patent invalidity affirmed on appeal to the Federal Circuit.
*Prior experience
Eli Lilly & Co. v. Aurobindo Pharma Ltd.*
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
Represented Aurobindo in a high-stakes patent infringement case concerning a generic pharmaceutical drug. Achieved favorable settlement on the eve of trial.
*Prior experience