Ericka Schulz is an intellectual property lawyer who bridges the gap between complex technology and effective legal strategy. She focuses her IP practice on patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret disputes, bringing 20 years of patent litigation experience and a master's degree in electrical engineering to every matter. That combination of technical fluency and trial-tested judgment gives clients a distinct advantage in high-stakes IP disputes, from early resolution through verdict.
Ericka works closely with Fortune 100 companies in the high-tech and medical device industries on complex IP litigation, helping them protect their competitive position and minimize business disruption. She knows when to position a case for early resolution and has the courtroom credibility to back it up when settlement isn't an option. Her early resolution record includes successful Section 101 defenses, inter partes review petitions, early summary judgment victories and numerous pre-trial wins on non-infringement defenses, driven by early strategic technical discovery.
Erick’s litigation experience spans key patent venues including the district courts of Texas, Delaware, California, Illinois and New Jersey, as well as the International Trade Commission (ITC) and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). Her technical background covers electrical engineering, software, telecommunications, wireless devices, networking, optics, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, mechanical systems, robotics, and medical devices—enabling her to engage meaningfully with complex subject matter across a wide range of industries.
Registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Ericka also counsels clients on patent and trademark prosecution, post-grant proceedings—including inter partes reviews and ex parte reviews—and portfolio licensing. She advises on broader IP protection strategies and conducts IP due diligence in connection with corporate transactions, the sale of IP portfolios and risk assessment at critical business inflection points. Clients rely on her to anticipate IP challenges before they arise, streamline patent portfolios and make informed decisions about licensing, enforcement and acquisition opportunities.
Prior to private practice, Ericka spent three years designing embedded systems as an electrical engineer at Wind River and completed her master's thesis at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories, developing a biomedical software application for processing DNA microarray images. She began her legal career at an IP boutique focused on patent prosecution before joining a global law firm to pursue patent litigation—a progression that gives her a deep technical and strategic foundation for litigating complex technology matters.
Outside of work, Ericka is committed to environmental sustainability. She has explored more than 25 countries, experiences that inform her work with clients operating on a global stage. She also dedicates time to pro bono matters, including work on behalf of safebeaches.org, disabled veterans, victims of sex trafficking or abuse, and asylum applicants.