Kurt Mathas
Partner
Co-Chair, General Litigation Practice
Recognized as “someone who can try any case,” Kurt is a trial lawyer with extensive experience in all phases of high-stakes litigation from filing through final appeal.
Kurt serves as co-chair of Winston’s General Litigation Practice. He concentrates his practice in complex commercial litigation, with an emphasis on intellectual property litigation. He is a trial lawyer with significant experience in both bench and jury trials across a number of jurisdictions around the country.
Kurt’s patent practice has included patent cases in diverse industries from biotech to telecommunications. He has successfully represented clients in both bench and jury trials, as well as before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Most recently, Kurt served as first chair trial counsel in a patent case involving an anti-epileptic medication. Kurt also recently led a team that invalidated six patents in inter partes review proceedings related to a genetically-engineered enzyme that had been asserted by a competitor in a co-pending district court case. Other notable trial wins include a jury trial victory for a major telecommunications company in a case involving patents related to packet-switched networks and a bench trial win for a large generic pharmaceutical client, which paved the way for the launch of a generic drug.
Kurt has also handled a broad range of complex commercial cases including antitrust, products liability, breach of contract and trade secrets matters in both state and federal court and on appeal. Kurt’s antitrust experience includes defending pharmaceutical and high-tech companies against multimillion dollar antitrust claims brought by competitors. His products liability experience includes a state court jury trial victory for a major chemical manufacturer and representing a large pharmaceutical company in cases related to Wellbutrin XL® (bupropion hydrochloride) in state and federal court.
Among his pro bono cases, Kurt helped lead a Winston trial team that won a jury verdict on behalf of an inner-city health care clinic in a breach of contract case. Kurt’s other pro bono engagements have included representing a habeas petitioner in his Seventh Circuit appeal, multiple asylees in their asylum cases, and an individual in a housing discrimination case challenging a landlord’s admissions policy.
Kurt currently serves as the Chicago office Hiring Partner, is a member of the firm’s associate evaluation committee, and is past chair of the Chicago office summer associate committee.
In 2024, Kurt was recognized by IAM Patent 1000 as a "tenacious litigator."
In 2023, Kurt was recognized by IAM Patent 1000 as being “highly skilled and knowledgeable regarding Hatch-Waxman litigation.”
In 2022, Kurt was recognized by IAM Patent 1000 for his success “which inspires confidence among global industry leaders.”
In 2021, Kurt was recognized by The Legal 500 U.S. as a lawyer who “stands out” and who “gels with the client’s team very well, understands their needs, is flexible, innovative [and] strategizes properly.”
In 2021, IAM Patent 1000 recognized Kurt as “a veteran of many newsworthy life sciences and high-technology patent and antitrust litigations.”
In 2019 and 2020, Kurt was recognized in IAM Patent 1000 as “someone who can try any case” and “provident strategist and savvy trial lawyer.”
In 2018, Kurt was recognized as a “Rising Star” in the area of Life Sciences by Law360, which recognizes the top legal talent under 40 in their respective practice areas.
From 2017 through 2020, Kurt was named a “Next Generation Lawyer” for Patent Litigation by The Legal 500 US, which conducts extensive research within key legal markets to evaluate law firm practice areas based on, among other things, reputation, and attorney and client feedback. Each year fewer than five lawyers have received this distinction.
Kurt was named a “Legal Lion” by Law360 for an appellate victory on behalf of Verizon upholding the invalidity of four patents in November 2017.
From 2015 through 2019, Kurt was recognized as an “Emerging Lawyer” by Leading Lawyers, which recognizes the top two percent of lawyers who are 40 years old or younger and have proven themselves professional, ethical, and experienced at an early point in their legal career.
In 2015, Winston & Strawn was named the “Chicago Litigation Department of the Year” for general litigation by The National Law Journal.
Credentials
Education
Kurt received a J.D. from the University of Notre Dame Law School in 2005, where he was editor in chief of the Journal of College and University Law. He received a B.A. in political science, with highest distinction, from Purdue University in 2001, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
Admissions
- Illinois
Related Insights & News
In April 2020, Kurt was a panelist for Bloomberg’s webinar on “Your First Legal Position: Insider Insights & Tips for Success.”
In December 2020, Kurt was a co-presenter for Winston & Strawn and Black Connect’s presentation of “Intellectual Property Basics for Business Owners and Nonprofit Leaders.”
In May 2021, Kurt was a co-presenter of a CLE presentation on “Governmental Approaches to IP in Times of Crisis.”
June 20, 2024
December 8, 2023
April 19-20, 2023