ERIK FOUNTAIN is a senior managing associate in Sidley’s Dallas office. Erik’s practice focuses on intellectual property litigation and patent licensing disputes. He has represented companies, as both plaintiffs and defendants, in a variety of fields, including software, cellular, oil field, and industrial equipment. Erik has significant experience as a stand-up lawyer, having successfully briefed and argued a variety of procedural, discovery, evidentiary, and dispositive motions in venues across the country. He has tried multiple cases to verdict, where he has examined and cross-examined both fact and expert witnesses.
Erik has considerable experience in patent licensing disputes. In 2019, he was part of a trial team that prevailed in the first-ever breach-of-FRAND jury trial in the Eastern District of Texas. In that same venue, Erik defended a base-station manufacturer against the assertion of more than 20 patents claimed essential to the 4G/LTE wireless standard. Outside of the courtroom, Erik has advised clients as they negotiate licenses to standard-essential-patent portfolios in a variety of technical fields.
Erik was named to the Texas Super Lawyers list of “Rising Stars” in 2019 and 2021 and Best Lawyers in America’s inaugural “Ones to Watch” in the field of Intellectual Property Law, Commercial Litigation (2021-2022), and Litigation – Intellectual Property (2021).
Erik graduated magna cum laude and as a member of the Order of the Coif from SMU Dedman School of Law. Prior to law school, Erik graduated with a B.A. in Political Science from Brigham Young University.