Madison, Wisconsin
Service Areas:
Education:
- J.D., University of Oregon School of Law
- 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
Eli is a trial attorney focusing on intellectual property and business litigation. He represents businesses and individuals in patent, trademark, and copyright lawsuits, as well as contract and other commercial disputes. Eli has served as lead counsel in multiple jury trials, has argued before the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, and litigated cases in state and federal courts around the country. He has the experience and knowledge to effectively resolve even the most contentious disputes.
Outside of his extensive practice in Wisconsin, Eli has a particular focus on litigation in California and the West Coast. Eli is one of the only Wisconsin-based intellectual property litigators who is also licensed and practices in California and Oregon.
Outside of his extensive practice in Wisconsin, Eli has a particular focus on litigation in California and the West Coast. Eli is one of the only Wisconsin-based intellectual property litigators who is also licensed and practices in California and Oregon.
Affiliations
- Member – Wisconsin Intellectual Property Law Association
- Member – California Lawyers Association Intellectual Property Law Section
- Member – Oregon State Bar Intellectual Property Section
- Member – Madison Downtown Rotary Club
- Member – Dane County Bar Association
Articles & Presentations
- "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
Awards & Recognitions
- Adjunct Professor – Negotiations – University of Wisconsin Law School
- Former Adjunct Professor – University of Wisconsin Law School’s Pre-Trial Advocacy Seminar
- Former Editor-in-Chief – Oregon Review of International Law
- Former Moot Court Board Member – University of Oregon School of Law
Notable Representations
- Represented Wisconsin-based graphic artist in obtaining a $3.95 million jury verdict in a copyright infringement trial
- Successfully represented a property-owner client involved in an eminent domain dispute, helping to obtain 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