Bart Showalter is the firmwide chair of the Intellectual Property Department of Baker Botts. His practice includes all aspects of intellectual property law, with a particular emphasis on patent litigation, procurement and licensing in the electronics, telecommunications and software fields.

With broad experience in a number of areas, Mr. Showalter provides strategic counsel to clients developing innovative computer software, semiconductor devices, optical systems, data networks, wireless infrastructure, business methods, transmission systems, medical devices, graphics processors, military and commercial aircraft, automated industrial equipment and many other technologies.

Mr. Showalter has litigated patent infringement cases involving landline and cellular telecommunications technology, video conferencing, interactive television, voice messaging and a number of other fields. He also provides general counseling on intellectual property issues, including intellectual property audits, strategic patent mapping, exposure assessment, patent opinions, licensing negotiations, patent categorization, industry benchmarking, infringement risk management and comprehensive intellectual property protection programs.

While he was at MIT, Mr. Showalter investigated the role of artificial intelligence (specifically, neural networks) in the design and performance of complex adaptive control systems. Following graduation, he worked as a lead systems engineer for LTV Missiles and Electronics Group, where he designed guidance and control subsystems for missile, aircraft and spacecraft projects. He currently serves as an adjunct professor of intellectual property law at Southern Methodist University, and is active as a board member of the Perot Museum of Nature and Science and the Dallas Theater Center. Mr. Showalter is also a founding Master of the Honorable Barbara M.G. Lynn American IP Inn of Court in Dallas.

For over 10 years, Mr. Showalter has volunteered his time to the “Invention Convention” for students in the Richardson Independent School District, selecting annual winners of the “Most Patentable Invention” and helping them draft patent applications.