Paul J Skiermont

Mr. Paul J. Skiermont is a trial lawyer with a national litigation and Patent Trial & Appeal Boardinter partesreview practice.   For two decades he has advised clients on IP strategy—and he has litigated dozens of high stakes patent cases.   He is a founding partner at SKIERMONT DERBY LLP, located in Dallas, Texas and Los Angeles, California.   Prior to forming SKIERMONT DERBY, he was a partner at BARTLIT BECK LLP. He and his firm represent companies of all sizes in litigation involving complex science and technology, including pharmaceutical patent disputes.

Mr. Skiermont has substantial experience representing pharmaceutical companies in patent litigation, and representing challengers to brand pharma patents before the PTAB in inter partes review proceedings.   For example, he has served as lead counsel in Hatch-Waxman and other pharmaceutical patent litigation for both brands and generics involving a number of different drugs.   For brands, he has asserted patents in litigation covering drugs that include Bayer’s Yaz® oral contraceptive, HRA Pharma’s flagship product ella®, and Serenity Pharmaceuticals’ Noctiva®.   For generics, his experience includes challenges in litigation and the PTAB to patents covering Alimta®, Treanda®, and Gilenya®.

Mr. Skiermont and his firm are also active in pharmaceutical antitrust litigation, including representing a group of direct purchaser clients in In re Loestrin 24 FE Antitrust Litigation, arising from brand/generic reverse payment settlements of Hatch-Waxman patent litigation, as well as claims for Walker Process fraud, and sham litigation.

Mr Skiermont is a pioneer in the use of alternative fee agreements beyond the billable hour.   SKIERMONT DERBY uses a variety of alternative fee agreements based on the value of its work to its clients, rather than the number of hours billed.   You can read more about SKIERMONT DERBY’s innovative approach to complex pharmaceutical IP litigation and alternative fees at  www.skiermontderby.com.

Mr. Skiermont earned his undergraduate degree with honors from the University of Kentucky. While an undergraduate, he was twice awarded FIRST PLACE SPEAKER at the Intercollegiate National Debate Tournament, one of only three people to win the award twice since the Tournament began in 1947.   Prior to law school, Mr. Skiermont coached the undergraduate debate team at Harvard University.   He earned his law degree from the University of Chicago with High Honors, Order of the Coif.   After law school, he was a judicial clerk for the Honorable C. Arlen Beam, US Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.