Madison, Wisconsin
Service Areas:
Education:
- J.D., University of Oregon School of Law
- Editor-in-Chief – Oregon Review of International Law
- Moot Court Board Member
- B.A., with honors, University of Texas
Admissions:
- Wisconsin
- California
- Oregon
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
Innovative manufacturers, retailers, and brand owners rely on Eli to protect their most valuable intellectual property and navigate high-stakes litigation. A partner at DeWitt LLP and an Adjunct Professor of Negotiations at the University of Wisconsin Law School, Eli concentrates his practice on patent, copyright, trademark, and trade secret disputes.
Known for his trial readiness and strategic insight, Eli has led bet-the-company cases and is experienced taking disputes from initial complaint through jury verdict and appeal. He has represented clients in federal courts nationwide, though his home court is the Western District of Wisconsin, where he has served as local counsel and sits on the Governing Board of the Western District Bar Association.
Sector Experience
Patent Disputes
- Consumer tools and equipment
- Agricultural and transportation technologies
- HVAC systems
- Mobile devices and tablets
- Retail packaging solutions
- Furniture and product design
Trademark Disputes
- Digital and social media branding
- Public health and education campaigns
- Packaged and frozen food brands
- Healthcare networks
Copyright Disputes
- Commercial digital artwork and animation
- Music compositions and sound recordings
- Professional and commercial photography
Beyond IP, Eli handles a range of complex commercial litigation, including false advertising, contract and licensing disputes, unfair competition, eminent domain, and class action defense.
Whether enforcing intellectual property rights or defending against infringement claims, Eli brings trial-tested advocacy and business-focused judgment to every case. His clients value not only his litigation skills but also his ability to align legal strategy with their commercial goals.Affiliations
- Member – Wisconsin Intellectual Property Law Association
- Member – California Lawyers Association Intellectual Property Law Section
- Member – Oregon State Bar Intellectual Property Section
- Member – Dane County Bar Association
- Governing Board Member – Western District of Wisconsin Bar Association
Articles & Presentations
- "U.S. Importers Likely Face Greater Exposure from Patent Trolls Following a Recent Federal Circuit Decision" – Co-author, Intellectual Property Law News Feed, March 2025
- "Goats on a Roof: Iconic Wisconsin Restaurant Wins Trade Dress Dispute" –
DeWitt LLP, Winter 2019
- “When Do Lawyer Threats Become Ethical Violations”– Presenter for the DeWitt LLP Annual Ethics Seminar, Fall 2018
- “Bluster, Bluffs and Best Practices: Legal Ethics in Settlement Negotiations" – Presenter for the DeWitt LLP Annual Ethics Seminar, Fall 2016
- “Going Through the Motions: Wisconsin Pretrial Advocacy" – Co-Presenter – Wisconsin State Bar PINNACLE, January 2015
- "How to Notarize Documents and Administer Oaths During the Coronavirus Crisis" – COVID-19 News Feed, March 2020
Notable Representations
- Defended a Madison‑based garden tool start up, Woodland Tools, against global competitor Fiskars' claims for design‑patent infringement, trade‑secret misappropriation, tortious interference, and false advertising—obtained complete summary‑judgment dismissal of all Fiskars claims and prevailed at trial on Woodland Tools' Lanham Act false advertising counterclaim, resulting in a jury finding that Fiskars engaged in willful false advertising
- Represented Wisconsin-based graphic artist in obtaining a $3.95 million jury verdict in a copyright infringement trial
- Obtained dismissal of patent infringement declaratory judgment lawsuit filed against client by Slack Technologies
- In eminent domain dispute, obtained a $5.1 million just compensation verdict against American Transmission Company (“ATC”) following a two-week-plus jury trial, in connection to ATC’s Badger-Coulee transmission line project. Because the condemnation verdict was more than 15% greater than ATC’s final jurisdictional offer, ATC was also legally obligated to reimburse DeWitt’s client for all reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses it incurred in the litigation
- Represented a frozen foods manufacturer and distributor in obtaining a permanent injunction in a trademark infringement case
- Represented a major trucking company in obtaining dismissal of a well-known patent troll’s lawsuit without any settlement payment
- Represented a Portland, Oregon-based leather goods manufacturer and retailer in obtaining the dismissal of a well-known patent troll’s lawsuit without any settlement payment
- Represented a health care provider in defeating a motion for preliminary injunction in a trademark infringement case
- Represented a Fortune 500 company in a contract dispute related to ongoing environmental remediation, and obtained a dismissal of the litigation without any payment to the plaintiff