Stephen Swinton retired from the partnership in July 2015. He concentrated his practice on complex litigation involving patent rights and related intellectual property matters. Mr. Swinton has represented clients in patent, copyright, trademark and trade secret matters in a variety of industries including software, electronics, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, semiconductor and telecommunications. Mr. Swinton has extensive trial and appellate experience. He has served as lead or trial counsel in utility and design patent disputes, as well as trademark and trade secret matters.
While in law school, Mr. Swinton served as an extern to the Honorable Roy L. Stephenson, Judge, US Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit. After receiving his undergraduate degree, he served with distinction as a Surface Line Officer (Surface Warfare Specialist) in the United States Navy and later worked as a process and manufacturing engineer with Procter & Gamble.
Mr. Swinton is a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, an honor received only by invitation, which is extended after careful investigation to those experienced trial lawyers who have demonstrated exceptional skill as advocates and whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism and civility. He was named as one of San Diego's Best Attorneys 2014 by SD Metro, selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2014 as a recommended attorney in Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Intellectual Property and Patent. In 2008, he was recognized by The Legal 500 US for his domestic patent litigation work and has also been consistently recognized in San Diego Super Lawyers for intellectual property.
Mr. Swinton is admitted to practice before numerous trial and appellate courts including the US Supreme Court, the Courts of Appeals for the Ninth and Federal Circuits, Northern, Central and Southern Districts of California, and California Supreme Court. At the time of his retirement, Mr. Swinton was a member of the American Bar Association, Federal Circuit Bar Association, American Intellectual Property Law Association and State Bar of California.