Background information for Dr. Stephen Stout:

I am a patent lawyer at Vinson & Elkins here in Austin.  My practice is primarily patent litigation:  I represent either patent owners accusing someone of infringement or the defendants in such cases.  I also advise clients facing various patent-related issues, such as whether a patent covers their products, whether a patent is valid, prospects for litigation, etc.  And finally, I do a small amount of work with inventors, helping them obtain patents.  

Given my technical background, I favor the life sciences.  However, I have worked on a wide variety of technologies including:  search engines, food additives, wire trimming tape, pharmaceuticals, plant biotechnology, and biotechnology research tools.

Education
B.S. Botany, Texas A&M University
M.S. Plant Health, Louisiana State University
Ph.D.  Plant Biology, University of Texas
J.D.,  University of Texas