"Natalie is a natural leader and a fierce advocate. She always anticipated our needs, worked efficiently, and presented us with a clear and succinct work product that my executive leadership team could understand."
Chambers USA 2023
Natalie Alfaro Gonzales practices in all areas of intellectual property law, including patent and trade secret litigation, patent prosecution, and IP and technology transactions. Natalie represents both patent owners and defendants in patent and trade secret litigation matters involving a variety of technologies and industries, including energy, life sciences, automotive, telecommunications, retail, financial services, e-commerce, and software. Her litigation experience also includes copyright infringement and Lanham Act actions, as well as contested matters in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, including inter partes reviews. Natalie practices before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, preparing and prosecuting patent applications, and managing patent portfolios involving a wide array of technologies.
Natalie advises clients on the IP-related aspects of corporate and technology transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, joint development arrangements, licensing, contracting and employment arrangements. Natalie assists clients in crafting and negotiating agreements relating to IP ownership, IP transfers, confidentiality, software development and other commercial arrangements, including MSAs and SaaS agreements.
As a registered patent attorney with a full-service IP practice, Natalie works closely with her clients to provide a holistic approach to IP management, including protecting, enforcing, and defending IP rights.
Natalie co-leads the firm’s Houston partnerships with startup networks The Ion and the Rice Clean Energy Accelerator, and has experience helping emerging companies with their IP and transactional legal needs. Natalie is a member of the firm's Diversity & Inclusion Committee.
Natalie is also deeply involved in her community, including serving as President of the Hispanic Bar Association of Houston, on the Steering Committee for the Texas Minority Counsel Program, as a Trustee for the Foundation of Advancement of Diversity in IP Law, and as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Houston Law Center.
Following graduation from law school, Natalie served as a law clerk to the Honorable Leonard E. Davis of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.
Related Experience
Litigation
- Art+Com Innovationpool GmbH v. Google Inc. (District of Delaware) - Represented Art+Com in a patent case generally involving the methodology for displaying a pictorial representation of space related objects
- Bear Creek v. Mediacom (District of Delaware) - Defended Mediacom in a patent case concerning VoIP technologies
- Berman v. DIRECTV, LLC and AT&T Services, Inc. (Northern District of Texas) - Defended AT&T and DIRECTV in a patent case involving overlay technologies
- C-Cation Technologies v. Comcast Corporation, et al. (Eastern District of Texas) - Defended Cable One and Suddenlink in a patent case related to high-speed data systems
- Convolve v. Dell, Inc. et al. (Eastern District of Texas) - Defended Dell in a patent case related to vibration reduction in computer hard drives
- Createads v. Mediacom (District of Delaware) - Defended Mediacom in a patent case relating to website services technologies
- EIG, Inc. v. Tudor Pickering (Southern District of Texas) - Defended Tudor Pickering in a copyright infringement case involving industry-wide energy publications
- Elbit Systems Land and C41 Ltd. V. Hughes Network Systems, LLC (Eastern District of Texas) - Defending Hughes in a patent case involving satellite communications technologies
- EMG Technology, LLC v. Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. et al. (Eastern District of Texas) - Defended TD Ameritrade in a patent case related to mobile device technologies
- GlobeTecTrust v. Atlantic Broadband (District of Delaware) - Defended Atlantic Broadband in a patent case concerning optical and cable communication systems
- GlobeTecTrust v. Cable One (District of Delaware) - Defended Cable One in a patent case concerning optical and cable communication systems
- GlobeTecTrust v. Knology (District of Delaware) - Defended Knology in a patent case concerning optical and cable communication systems
- GlobeTecTrust v. Mediacom (District of Delaware) - Defended Mediacom in a patent case concerning optical and cable communication systems
- GlobeTecTrust v. RCN (District of Delaware) - Defended RCN in a patent case concerning optical and cable communication systems
- GlobeTecTrust v. Suddenlink (District of Delaware) - Defended Suddenlink in a patent case concerning optical and cable communication systems
- Keranos, LLC v. Analog Devices, Inc. (Eastern District of Texas) - Defended Toshiba in a patent case related to flash memory technology
- Lamplight Licensing, LLC v. Eaton Corporation (Western District of Texas - Defended Eaton in a patent case related to power supply systems
- MicroPairing Technologies LLC v. Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas (Western District of Texas) - Defended Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas in a patent infringement case related to in-vehicle electronics systems
- Net Navigation Systems, LLC v. Huawei (Eastern District of Texas) - Defended Huawei in a patent case related to network routing systems
- Pragmatus Telecom LLC v. Neiman Marcus Group, Inc. et al. (Eastern District of Texas) - Defended Wisteria in a patent case related to automated call distribution centers
- RecruitMe, LLC v. InfoStream Group Inc. (Eastern District of Texas) - Defended InfoStream in a patent case related to online database technology
- SimpleAir, Inc. v. Microsoft Corporation, et al. (Eastern District of Texas) - Defended Huawei in a patent case related to data transmission systems
- Solocron Education, LLC v. SumTotal Systems LLC and Skillsoft Corporation (Eastern District of Texas) - Defended Skillsoft and Sumtotal in a patent case involving learning management systems
- Sprint v. Cable One, Inc. (District of Kansas) - Defended Cable One in a patent case related to ATM switching and communication technologies
- Sprint v. Mediacom, RCN, Atlantic Broadband, and WideOpenWest (District of Delaware) - Defending cable companies in patent infringement cases related to ATM switching and communication technologies
- Textile Computer Systems, Inc. v. Frost Bank (Western District of Texas) - Representing Frost in patent infringement case related to payment technologies
- TQP Development, LLC v. Cable One, Inc. (Eastern District of Texas) - Defended Cable One in a patent case related to encryption technologies
- TQP Development, LLC v. TD Ameritrade (Eastern District of Texas) - Defended TD Ameritrade in a patent case related to encryption technologies
- Transformer Protector Corporation v. William Kendrick and Sentry DS, Inc. (Southern District of Texas, Harris County Court) - Representing Transformer Protector in a false advertising and breach of contract action brought against defendants William Kendrick and Sentry DS, Inc.
- Utex Industries, Inc. v. Troy E. Wiegand and Garner Denver. (Southern District of Texas) - Represented Utex in a patent infringement, trade secret misappropriation, breach of contract and tortious interference case related to specialized seals for fracturing pumps used in the oil and gas field
United States Patent & Trademark Office Proceeding Experience
- Defended inter partes review proceeding challenging validity of patents related to seals for frack pumps
- Challenged claims in inter partes review of patents concerning licensing and encryption technologies
Prosecution, Counseling, and Transactional
- Represented and counseled numerous companies in the energy, power, software, and medical industries in connection with their intellectual property assets and various corporate transactions (IPOs, joint ventures, acquisitions, etc.)
- Preparation and prosecution of patents for a number of clients, including major oil field services, software, and medical device companies
Awards & Community
Recognized as "Up & Coming" by Chambers USA, 2023
Recognized on the "Wonderful Women" list by Lawyers of Color, 2023
Recognized as a Texas Super Lawyers - Up-and-Coming 100 (Thomson Reuters), 2022-2023
Recognized as a Texas Super Lawyers - Up-and-Coming 50 Women (Thomson Reuters), 2021-2023
Recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer-Rising Star (Thomson Reuters), 2018-2023
Recognized as a "Top Latino Lawyer" by Latino Leaders Magazine, 2022
Recognized as a "Venture Capital 40 Rising Stars Under 40" by Venture Capital Journal, 2020
Recognized as a "Managing IP Rising Star," 2020
Recognized as a "Top Lawyer Under 40" by the Hispanic National Bar Association, 2020
News
Baker Botts’ 2023 Intellectual Property Practice Recognized in Chambers USA Rankings
Baker Botts’ Band 1 Practice Rankings Increase by 27% in Chambers USA 2023
Super Lawyers Selects 17 Baker Botts Attorneys to 2023 "Texas Rising Stars" List
Latino Leaders Magazine Lists Dino Barajas and Natalie Alfaro Gonzales Among “Top Latino Lawyers 2022”
Hispanic Bar Association of Houston Receives HNBA National Award
Top Billing: Leading Women of Houston
AIA at 10: Patent Board Proves Durable, Strategies Have to Shift
Bloomberg LawBloomberg Law
AIA at 10: Patent Board Proves Durable, Strategies Have to Shift
Bloomberg LawBloomberg Law
Super Lawyers Selects 19 Baker Botts Attorneys To 2021 "Texas Rising Stars" List
Baker Botts To Support Clean Energy Incubator In Houston
Law360Law360
As Tech Startups Increasingly Move to Texas, Baker Botts Forms Strategic Alliance with The Ion and Becomes Founding Supporter of Rice Alliance Clean Energy Accelerator
Baker Botts Secures Victory for UTEX in Legal Battle Against Rival Gardner Denver Over Novel Frac Pump Packing Patent
Sprint, Charter Both Seek Early Wins In IP Dispute
Law360Law360
AR / VR therapy startup wins Women in Tech pitch competition
American InnoAmerican Inno
Capital Factory's First Virtual 'Women in Tech' Summit Highlights Diversity and Inclusion
Dallas Innovates OnlineDallas Innovates Online
Making Remote Work at Baker Botts: Natalie Alfaro Gonzales
Super Lawyers Selects 27 Baker Botts Attorneys To 2020 “Texas Rising Stars” List
Baker Botts’ Partner Natalie Gonzales Named a “Rising Star” by Venture Capital Journal
Thought Leadership
Applying Antitrust Liability to Standard Essential Patent Conduct
Client UpdatesIntellectual Property Report
IP Issues to Watch as the Ion Accelerates Houston's Startup Ecosystem
Speeches & PresentationsPanelist, Association of Corporate Counsel Houston Annual Symposium
Clean Energy Technology - Paving the Way for the Energy Transition
Client UpdatesEnergy Transition Update
Protecting Your Hydrogen Investment: Intellectual Property Issues
Client UpdatesHydrogen Update
The Ion - EmpowerHER Panel
Speeches & PresentationsThe Ion - EmpowerHER Panel
Clean Energy Technology - Paving the Way for the Energy Transition
Client UpdatesEnergy Update
Trade Secret Update
Speeches & PresentationsHouston Intellectual Property Law Association's Annual Institute
Remote to Reopening
Speeches & PresentationsPlug and Play Tech Center
Corporate Venture Capital and Innovation: Investing to Drive Efficiency
Speeches & PresentationsModerator, Kayo Women's Energy Summit
Trends in Trade Secret Litigation
WebinarACC Houston Annual Symposium Webinar 2020
IP Agreements Every Startup Should Know About
Speeches & PresentationsThe ION
Events
Recent
Transition on Tap Networking Happy Hour
SXSW® 2023
Energy Dialogues Webinar: The Case for Accelerating Digital Transformation in 2022
ChIPs Global Summit
HIPLA Annual Institute on Intellectual Property
The Houston Intellectual Property Law Association’s 2021 Annual Fall Institute will be held October 7-9 at Moody Gardens Hotel in Galveston, Texas. HIPLA has put on the Fall Institute in association with the University of Houston for the past 37 years.
SXSW 2021 - The Future of Corporate Venture Capital: Navigating Shifts in Accelerated Innovation
Kayo Women's Virtual Energy Summit
Baker Botts is a proud supporter of the 2020 Kayo Women's Virtual Energy Summit September 8-11.
ACC Houston Annual Symposium Webinar 2020
Baker Botts is proud to sponsor the ACC Houston Annual Symposium Webinar that will take place on August 18-20, 2020.