T. John Ward - Lawyer in Longview, TX

T. John «Judge» Ward served as a United StatesDistrict Judge for the Eastern District of Texas for 12 years from September24, 1999 until his retirement on October 1, 2011. During his 12-year tenure,Judge Ward presided over cases in the Marshall, Tyler, and Texarkana divisionsand had one of the heaviest intellectual property dockets in the country. Judge Ward conducted over 150 jury trials, presided over hundreds ofpatent cases, including Hatch-Waxman cases, and held in excess of 150 claimconstruction hearings. Judge Ward also presided over numerous complexcommercial cases and nation-wide class action lawsuits. A list of some ofJudge Wards notable opinions appears below.

During his tenure, Judge Ward was appointed by ChiefJustice Rehnquist of the Supreme Court to serve as a member of the JudicialConference Committee on Court Administration and Court Management from October2003 to October 2006 and was then reappointed by Chief Justice Roberts to servea second term from October 2006 to October 2009. Judge Ward served as amember of the National Patent Jury Instruction Project at the request of ChiefJudge Paul R. Michel of the United States Court of Appeals for the FederalCircuit. The American Inns of Court, in cooperation with the members ofthe local bar, chartered the Honorable T. John Ward American Inn of Court forEast Texas in 2006. In 2009, the Texas Chapters of American Board ofTrial Advocates named Judge Ward Trial Judge of the Year. Judge Ward wasselected as one of the Top 25 Most Influential People in IP by a publication ofAmerican Lawyer magazine in 2010 and was also presented the award forOutstanding Achievement in Intellectual Property for 2012 by ManagingIntellectual Property magazine. In 2004, Baylor University named JudgeWard Baylor Lawyer of the Year.

Judge Ward served on the Board of Governors of the FifthCircuit Bar Association from 1987 to 1991 and from 1996 to 1999. JudgeWard is also a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, a long-time Fellow ofthe American College of Trial Lawyers (1986-1999 and Oct. 2011-present), wherehe also served as a Judicial Fellow during his years on the bench (1999-Oct.2011), and an Advocate of the American Board of Trial Advocates (1990-present). In 2013, Judge Ward was inducted into the International Academy of TrialLawyers.

Prior to his service as a District Judge, Judge Ward wasa practicing trial attorney for 31 years, during which time he tried in excessof 250 cases. Judge Ward now is of counsel for Ward, Smith Hill,PLLC in Longview, Texas. His litigation practice focuses on patent andother complex commercial cases as well as mediation and arbitration. Judge Ward also conducts mock trials and markman hearings for clients inpatent cases.

Judge Ward islicensed to practice law in Texas and is admitted to practice before the U.S.Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, the U.S. Court ofAppeals for the Federal Circuit, as well as the Eastern, Northern, Southern,and Western Districts of Texas. Judge Ward has completed the MediationWorkshop at Harvard Law School. In April 2013, he served on the facultyof the Patent Litigation Seminar presented by the Federal Judicial Center forU.S. District Judges.

Practice Areas:

• Intellectual Property
• Mediation Arbitration
• Oil Gas Law
• Complex Commercial Litigation