Ted Lee

Gunn, Lee & Cave P.C.

Ted D. Lee

Ted D. Lee - Founding Member

Meet Ted Lee: Experienced Intellectual Property Attorney

Ted Lee specializes in intellectual property litigation and is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Mr. Lee has been described in the San Antonio Business Journal as "ferociously protective of his clients." and a "good, fiery litigator" ("It's always 'total war'", San Antonio Business Journal, March, 6, 1989, p. 8).


Mr. Lee started work as a patent agent for the National Aeronautics & Space Administration in 1967, working on the Saturn Apollo program. Some of the early patent applications prosecuted by Mr. Lee were used in putting a man on the moon (U.S. Patents 3526372 and 4870709).

Mr. Lee then served as a JAG officer in the United States Marine Corp (1970–73) trying hundreds of special and general court marshal cases. When Mr. Lee entered private practice in San Antonio, Texas, his extensive litigation experience was used in trying all types of intellectual property cases ranging from the alleged theft of a secret formula for picante sauce to patent infringement of complicated electronic control systems.


Throughout Mr. Lee's 40+ years, he has prosecuted and obtained many patents, primarily in the electrical and electro-mechanical areas. In addition, Mr. Lee has represented clients in negotiations to license their technology. However, if negotiations are unsuccessful, Mr. Lee will pursue the infringers through litigation on behalf of his clients (Siliconnections: Coming of Age in the Electronic Era by Forrest M. Mims, III, Ch. 12, pp. 150–161).


Mr. Lee also represents individuals and corporations that have been accused of alleged violations of patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, contracts or unfair competition. Mr. Lee believes in the adage "the best defense is a good offense.

Ted Lee is a good, fiery litigator. He is ferociously protective of his clients.

- San Antonio Business Journal

Certifications

  • Board Certified, Civil Trial Law
  • Texas Board of Legal Specialization
  • State Bar of Texas (since 1981)


Practice Licenses

  • United States Patent and Trademark Office, 1971–present
  • State of Texas, 1973–present
  • State of Indiana, 1970–present


Courts Admitted

  • Supreme Court of Texas
  • Supreme Court of Indiana
  • Supreme Court of the United States of America
  • United States Patent & Trademark Office
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
  • United States District Court, Northern District of Texas
  • United States District Court, Eastern District of Texas
  • United States District Court, Southern District of Texas
  • United States District Court, Western District of Texas
  • United States District Court, Northern District of Arizona
  • United States District Court, Eastern District of Arkansas
  • United States District Court, Western District of Arkansas
  • United States District Court, Northern District of California
  • United States Court, Southern District of Indiana
  • United States Court of Military Appeals


Education

  • Doctorate of Jurisprudence, University of Notre Dame
  • Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Auburn University


Academic Honors

  • Tuition Scholarship, Notre Dame Law School
  • Outstanding Engineering Graduate, Auburn University
  • Tau Beta Pi (Engineering Honorary)
  • Eta Kappa Nu (Electrical Engineering Honorary)
  • Omicron Delta Kappa (Leadership Honorary)
  • Armed Forces Communication and Electronic Association
  • Fellowship for Electrical Engineering, Auburn University


Adjunct Professor

  • Business Torts, St. Mary's University Law School


Work Experience

Gunn, Lee & Cave, P.C., 1998–present
Intellectual Property Law Firm
Founding Shareholder, San Antonio, Texas


Gunn, Lee & Miller, P.C., 1977–1998
Formerly Gunn, Lee and Jackson, P.C.
Intellectual Property Law Firm
Founding Partner, San Antonio, Texas


Cox & Smith Inc., 1973–1977
Patent Attorney, San Antonio, Texas


United States Marine Corp., Captain, 1970–1973
Staff Judge Advocate


Bendix Corporation, 1969–1970
Patent Agent/Attorney, South Bend, Indiana


National Aeronautics & Space Administration, 1963–1969
Cooperative Education student



Brown Engineering, 1962
Armed Forces Communication and Electronic Association, Junior Fellowship Award


Publications

"Watch and Learn: Opening Statements by the Masters," Advanced Patent Litigation Course, Intellectual Property Law Section, State Bar of Texas, July 14–15, 2001.


"Protecting Your Intellectual Property," Running USA 2011 Conference in San Antonio, Texas, February 14, 2011.


"Effectively Managing Litigation for In-House Counsel," 6th Annual Advanced Patent Litigation Course, Intellectual Property Law Section, State Bar of Texas, July 29–30, 2010.


"How to Try an Intellectual Property Case Economically," San Antonio Lawyer Magazine, July–August 2010.


"Inequitable Conduct: Is the Plague Continuing," Presenter, 23rd Annual Advanced Intellectual Property Law Course, Intellectual Property Law Section, State Bar of Texas, March 4–5, 2010.


"How to Try an Intellectual Property Case Economically," 22nd Annual Advanced Intellectual Property Law Course, Intellectual Property Law Section, State Bar of Texas, March 5–6, 2009.


"Nine Ways to Keep Costs Down in IP Disputes," Texas Lawyer, February 2, 2009.


"A History of Intellectual Property Practice," 21st Annual Advanced Intellectual Property Law Course, Intellectual Property Law Section, State Bar of Texas, March 6–7, 2008.


"Year in Review," Moderator, American Intellectual Property Law Association Annual Meeting, 2008.


"How the Ballgame is Played: Ethical Boundaries on Cold Calling Potential Clients," 20th Annual Advanced Intellectual Property Law Course, Intellectual Property Law Section, State Bar of Texas, March 1–2, 2007.


"How the Ballgame is Played: Ethical Boundaries on Cold Calling Potential Clients," American Intellectual Property Law Association, Spring Meeting, Chicago, Illinois, May 4, 2006.


"Backdoor Non-Competes in Texas: Trade Secrets," St. Mary's Law Journal, Vol. 36, No. 3, p. 485, 2005.


"Doctrine of Equivalents: Still As Confusing As Ever," State Bar Convention, Intellectual Property Section, July 13, 2003.


"Witnesses and Depositions," Discovery Skills for Legal Staff in Texas, Lorman Education Services, San Antonio, Texas, March 28, 2001.


"The Application of the Current Laws on Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights and Contracts in the Web Environment," American Marketing Association, Winter Marketing Education Conference, February 6, 2000.


Co-author, "The Charade: Trying a Patent Case to All 'Three' Juries," Texas Intellectual Property Law Journal, Vol. 8, No. 1, pages 1–37, Fall 1999.


"Protecting Your Company's Intellectual Property Assets, High Tech Business Tactics," Seminar Six Series, Austin, Texas, April 15, 1998.


"Discovery and Sanctions Under the New Federal Rules of Civil Procedure," Federal Civil Litigation Seminar, Lorman Education Services, San Antonio, Texas, September 24, 1997.


"Recent Developments in Patent Law," Texas Intellectual Property Law Journal, Vol. 5, p. 107, 1996.


"Intellectual Property: Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights and Trade Secrets," Texas Law Office Handbook, Ch. 18, 1994.


"Discovery and Sanctions Under the New Federal Rules of Civil Procedure," Federal Civil Litigation Seminar, Lorman Education Services, San Antonio, Texas, September 30, 1994.


"Protecting Your Goods or Services," Current Issues in Advising Your Business Clients, Lorman Education Services, San Antonio, Texas, June 17, 1994.


"Is the Playing Field Level?" Patent Infringement and Invalidity, 1992.


"Intellectual Property: Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights and Trade Secrets," Texas Law Office Handbook, 3rd Ed., 1990.


"Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Protecting a Client's Products and Services," The Subpoena, November, 1988.


"The Road Less Traveled: State Court Resolution of Patent, Trademark, and Copyright Disputes," St. Mary's Law Journal, Vol. 19, No. 3, p. 703, 1988.


"Trying an Intellectual Property Case in State Court," Woodlands Institute, Intellectual Property Section, State Bar of Texas, 1987.


"How to Try an Intellectual Property Case Economically," Patent Law Annual, 1986.


"An Overview of Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights and Trade Secrets," Texas Practice Guide, Young Lawyers Section, State Bar of Texas, 1983.


"Regulation of Invention Development Services Act," Texas Rev. Civ. Stat. Ann. Art 9020.


Professional Activities and Associations

  • State Bar of Texas, Intellectual Property Law Section:
  • Former Chair
  • Litigation Committee, former Chairman
  • State Bar of Texas: Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee, former Chairman
  • San Antonio Bar Association:
  • Ethics Committee, former Chairman
  • Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee
  • Federal Bar Association, San Antonio Chapter, former Board Member, Board of Directors
  • American Bar Association: Intellectual Property Law Section
  • U.S. District Courts Committee: Public Relations Subcommittee, former Vice-Chairman and Chairman
  • San Antonio Bar Foundation, Founding Life Fellow
  • San Antonio Intellectual Property Law Association, former President
  • American Intellectual Property Law Association
  • Judicial Appointments Committee
  • International Trademark Association
  • State Legislative Committee, former Chairman



Community and Charitable Endeavors


Personal Interests