Alan G. Carlson has specialized in intellectual property litigation since the inception of his legal career in 1971. His impressive 48 years of experience includes jury and bench trials throughout the United States for both plaintiffs and defendants in every type of intellectual property case. He has litigated cases dealing with copyright, contract, interference with contract, libel, patent, trademark, trade dress, and trade secret for many of Minnesota’s sizeable and innovative companies. Alan has appeared in federal, state, and district courts, in courts of appeal, and at the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Alan’s clients have included patent owners as well as patent challengers.
Alan has successfully led several multimillion-dollar jury verdicts in diverse technologies, including $30 million and $22.5 million decisions in patent cases, a $31 million jury verdict in a suit for interference with contract, and a $30 million settlement for a client in a patent case. Alan is also known for introducing new strategies for patent litigation that have now become commonplace in many cases.
Alan has also represented clients in numerous contested proceedings in the US Patent Office, including more than a dozen Inter Partes review proceedings authorized under The America Invents Act.
In addition to his trial work, Alan advises clients on general intellectual property issues from a litigation viewpoint.
Forward-thinking Leadership with a Service Orientation
In 2003, Alan and other colleagues at Merchant & Gould (where he had been the managing partner) founded Carlson, Caspers, Vandenburgh, & Lindquist, P.A. Through his vision and leadership, the firm has grown to more than 30 attorneys and moved locations twice to accommodate the needs of clients, attorneys, and staff. Alan serves as a mentor to other attorneys and his leadership encourages firm attorneys to contribute to Twin Cities’ legal and civic organizations.
An avid tennis player, Alan spends time on the court with clients and friends, and travels with his wife and family when he is not working on a case.
Ohio State University, JD, cum laude
University of Minnesota, JD, cum laude
William Mitchell College of Law, JD, cum laude
Purdue University, BSME, Pi Tau Sigma
Minnesota Supreme Court
US District Court for the District of Minnesota
US District Court for the District of Illinois
US District Court for the District of Colorado
US District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
US Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
US Court and Trademark Office
US Supreme Court
Carlson Caspers successfully enforced patents on behalf of CSI (an Emerson Electric Co. subsidiary) relating to machinery health maintenance vibration data analyzers incorporating sigma-delta analog-to-digital converters. In response to the patent infringement litigation,...
ADC Telecommunications, Inc. v. Commscope Solutions Properties, LLC and Commscope Solutions, Inc.
Carlson Caspers successfully enforced ADC patents relating to advanced telecommunications jacks and panels against Commscope products.
ADC contacted Phil Caspers to assess a potential case relating to telecommunications infrastructure patents. Early on, we concluded it was a strong lost profits case, but to get this defendant to pay fair...
AGA Medical Corp. v. W.L. Gore & Assoc. / W.L. Gore & Assoc. v. AGA Medical Corp. and St. Jude...
Carlson Caspers litigated these two cases on behalf of AGA and St. Jude Medical, against its primary competitor in the U.S. market, W.L. Gore. The cases settled on favorable terms for AGA and...
In re Gel-Filled Wrist Rests (On Behalf of 3M Company)
Alan Carlson and Matthew Goggin successfully represented 3M in an ITC investigation and trial involving importation of gel-filled computer wrist rests that infringed a 3M patent. At the conclusion of the investigation, the...
ADC Telecommunications, Inc. v. Panduit Corp.
Our firm successfully enforced ADC patents relating to fiber optic cable routing systems against Panduit cable routing products.
Wireless Standards Litigation: LTE
Carlson Caspers investigated and enforced patents that read on the 3GPP LTE communications standards against an LTE device manufacturer and distributor. The inventions described improved strategies for channel prioritization using quality of service...
Wireless Standards Litigation: Adaptive Frequency Hopping In Bluetooth
Carlson Caspers enforced a patent that read on the Bluetooth personal area network standards against a smart phone manufacturer. The invention at issue described sophisticated frequency hopping strategies that improve coexistence with other...
M-I Drilling Fluids LTD. v. Dynamic Air Inc.
Carlson Caspers represented Defendant Dynamic Air Inc. in this patent infringement action involving five patents directed to the pneumatic conveyance of drill cuttings generated by the drilling of offshore oil wells. During discovery,...
Carlson Caspers scores $30 million in damages for retaining wall block manufacturer. With over 50 licensees in 21 countries, Anchor Wall Systems’s retaining wall blocks are everywhere. With such an established licensing regime, Anchor...
Spectralytics, Inc. v. Cordis Corporation and Norman Noble, Inc.
Carlson Caspers represented Spectralytics, Inc. against Cordis Corporation and its supplier Norman Noble in a three-week infringement trial involving a Spectralytics patent on a method of making cardiovascular stents with a laser. In...
Regents of the University of Minnesota v. AGA Medical Corporation
Carlson Caspers won a significant victory on behalf of its client AGA Medical Corporation (now owned by St. Jude Medical, Inc.) in a major decision handed down by the U.S. Court of Appeals...
Carlson Caspers won a very favorable Markman ruling in this dispute related to several 3M patents covering disposable respirators with exhalation valves.
Alan is an active community leader. He has served on numerous boards over the years. He served on the board of directors for the Volunteer Legal Network (VLN) from 1995-2010. For the past six years, Alan has served on the board of directors for the Heart Institute Foundation.
A Legacy of Recognition and Awards
Minnesota Monthly and Greenspring Media featured Alan in the 2022 Minnesota 500.
in 2019, Minnesota Lawyer and Finance & Commerce magazines recognized Alan as a MINNESOTA ICON. Alan is among an elite group of senior business leaders whose years of leadership, achievements, and contributions to the Minnesota business community are noteworthy. Carlson has built a stellar reputation for client success for Minnesota businesses and institutions, as well as across the country.
Alan was the first patent attorney in Minnesota inducted as a Fellow into the American College of Trial Lawyers. The American College of Trial Lawyers invites the top 1% of the Bar as Fellows in the College. In that esteemed organization, there are fewer than a dozen registered patent attorneys who are active trial lawyers today. Carlson Caspers has two of those trial lawyers – being one of fewer than five firms in the nation with more than one Fellow.
In 1991, Alan was named one of “Minnesota’s Winningest Trial Lawyers,” by the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. He has been included in the Minnesota Super Lawyers® list since 2003, as well as the Top 100 list consistently since 2009. In 2009, Minnesota Super Lawyers included him in the Top 10 Minnesota Super Lawyers list, and Minnesota Lawyer honored him as a “2009 Attorney of the Year.”
In 2019, Chambers USA ranked Alan as a Senior Statesman in Intellectual Property, Minnesota, and ranked Carlson Caspers as a leading law firm in Intellectual Property, Minnesota. Chambers USA has recognized him since 2005.
The Purdue School of Mechanical Engineering voted unanimously for Alan to receive the “Outstanding Mechanical Engineer (OME) Award” in 2018. The distinct honor is the highest recognition a Purdue Mechanical Engineering alumnus can receive. Honorees are selected who have shown outstanding character and leadership and have demonstrated exceptional accomplishments in industry, academia, governmental service, or other endeavors related to mechanical engineering.
Best Lawyers® continues to list Alan as a leading lawyer in Intellectual Property Litigation beginning in 1991. In 2010, Best Lawyers named him “Lawyer of the Year, Intellectual Property Law–Minneapolis.” He is also regularly named as a top intellectual property lawyer by other leading industry publications.
Alan is an active community leader. He has served on numerous boards over the years. He served on the board of directors for the Volunteer Legal Network (VLN) from 1995-2010. For the past several years, Alan has served on the board of directors for the Heart Institute Foundation.
Practice Areas
Alan's Awards
