David R. Clonts

Partner

dclonts@ccrtlaw.com
Office|713.360.1560
Direct|713.360.1562

David Clonts provides strategic guidance and counseling in all aspects of intellectual property and technology protection and disputes, including patent and technology litigation, technology transactions, licensing, and inter partes reviews, with a special focus on the technology, medical device, and telecommunications sectors. Having worked as a programmer and engineer prior to beginning his legal career, David offers the firsthand experience and knowledge needed to speak with authority to technical experts, engineers, the jury, and the court. But David not only speaks the language — he understands the challenges of making that complex technology accessible to both lay judges and juries. And he understands that while complex cases may turn on a technical nuance, at the heart of any dispute is the client’s story. David works to not only simplify that technology for the jury but also to make sure the client’s story is heard.

Now in his third decade of practice, David has served as a trusted advisor and advocate for his clients and has participated in more than 50 patent and other technology disputes in venues across the United States. Clients appreciate his approach that puts the business goals of his clients first, coupled with the analytical and legal skills that deliver success in technology and patent law.

Recognized as one of the nation’s top legal minds in the complex area of patent law, David has a record of significant achievements in the courtroom and at the bargaining table. Some of David’s most notable and successful representations are:

  • Served as lead patent trial counsel in a billion-dollar dispute between two recognized technology giants.
  • Served as lead counsel over the course of an eight-year, high-dollar demand patent litigation battle in the vehicle navigation business.
  • Provided due diligence in a bid for a leading medical device company, advising on the asset values in the target business.
  • For more than a decade, has counseled one of the nation’s top telecommunications service providers, providing strategic advice and intellectual property opinion work.
  • Favorably represented a plaintiff alleging infringement of a patent related to blades for use in ophthalmic devices for LASIK procedures. The defendant subsequently exited the sector.
  • Served as lead patent counsel in defending one of the world’s largest semiconductor memory chip makers against patent infringement claims on dynamic random access memories. Resulted in a take-nothing jury verdict that was named to The National Law Journal’s “Defense Hot List.”

David is an electrical engineer and computer programmer, but his industry expertise stretches far more broadly. He understands, has counseled, and has litigated in a variety of industries:

Electronics

  • Semiconductor technology, including both manufacturing and architecture
  • Memory technology, including DRAM and Flash
  • Modem

Biomedical

  • Ophthalmic surgery
  • LASIK
  • Femtosecond opthalmic laser technology
  • Intraocular lenses
  • Vaccine technology

Energy

  • Downhole tools
  • Data analytics and exploration
  • Integration of high-tech and data analytics with historical drilling technologies

Telecommunications

  • 2G, 3G, 4G LTE, and 5G technologies
  • E911
  • Security and encryption technologies
  • Radio access technologies

Computers

  • CAD and integration software
  • Computer hardware and software
  • Printer technology
  • Networking technology

Broadband

  • All aspects of Internet communication and protocols
  • Fiber optic communication
  • Internetworking
  • Cybersecurity and safety
  • The Internet of Things
  • Recognized by Chambers USA as a leading practitioner in Intellectual Property Law, 2005-2022.
  • Recognized by Chambers Global as a leading practitioner in Intellectual Property Law, 2006-2015.
  • Named by the Houston Business Journal as one of the city’s top lawyers, 2015.
  • Ranked by The Best Lawyers in America© (Woodward/White, Inc.), 2012-2013, 2015-2023.
  • American Bar Association
  • American Intellectual Property Law Association
  • Houston Intellectual Property Law Association
  • Houston Bar Association
  • The Honorable Nancy F. Atlas Intellectual Property American Inn of Court
  • The University of Texas School of Law, J.D., 1991
  • Georgia Institute of Technology, B.S.E.E., 1987
  • Texas
  • U.S. District Court–Northern, Southern, Western and Eastern Districts of Texas
  • U.S. Patent and Trademark Office