Louis Liao is a trial lawyer who focuses on commercial litigation and intellectual property litigation. He represents plaintiffs and defendants in a wide range of high-stakes disputes, including breach of contract, trade secret, and patent lawsuits. Clients often rely on his perspective as a former engineer to provide creative solutions and break down complex concepts for judges and juries.
Mr. Liao was recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch (2022–2024) and Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers as a “Rising Star” (2023) for his success in handling intellectual property disputes. He received a law degree from Stanford Law School and a master’s degree in engineering from Stanford University. While in school, he worked as a legal intern at the Sundance Institute in Los Angeles and a civil rights impact litigation organization in Houston.
Before his legal career, Mr. Liao worked as a mechanical engineer in the oil and gas industry. His technical proficiency also includes computer software, owing to his avid interest in coding since childhood and past experience as a full-stack web developer. He graduated with highest honors from The University of Texas, where he received degrees in mechanical engineering and philosophy.
Louis Liao is a trial lawyer who focuses on commercial litigation and intellectual property litigation. He represents plaintiffs and defendants in a wide range of high-stakes disputes, including breach of contract, trade secret, and patent lawsuits. Clients often rely on his perspective as a former engineer to provide creative solutions and break down complex concepts for judges and juries.
Mr. Liao was recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch (2022–2024) and Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers as a “Rising Star” (2023) for his success in handling intellectual property disputes. He received a law degree from Stanford Law School and a master’s degree in engineering from Stanford University. While in school, he worked as a legal intern at the Sundance Institute in Los Angeles and a civil rights impact litigation organization in Houston.
Before his legal career, Mr. Liao worked as a mechanical engineer in the oil and gas industry. His technical proficiency also includes computer software, owing to his avid interest in coding since childhood and past experience as a full-stack web developer. He graduated with highest honors from The University of Texas, where he received degrees in mechanical engineering and philosophy.
REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS
Commercial Litigation
- Represented emergency room physicians and won a $62.6 million jury verdict in a Nevada state court case that attracted national media attention. After a seven-week trial, the jury unanimously found malice, oppression, and fraud against United Healthcare for the systematic underpayment of emergency room services. This verdict will serve as a bellwether for more than two dozen similar cases against several insurers nationwide.
- Represented emergency room physicians and won a $19.1 million Houston jury verdict against a large insurance company. This case was the first in the nation to litigate the amount that private insurance companies should pay for out-of-network emergency services under the Affordable Care Act.
- Defended former executive of offshore service company against noncompete and trade secret claims.
- Defended property owner against premises liability claims in a personal injury lawsuit.
Intellectual Property Litigation
- Represented patent owners in lawsuits against major smartphone and semiconductor manufacturers. In several of these lawsuits, Mr. Liao actively handled matters from filing until resolution and has helped recover over $45 million for AZA’s clients.
- Represented patent owner in multimillion-dollar lawsuit against prominent cellular network operators. Mr. Liao took on lead roles in opposing the defendants’ challenge to invalidate the patents under 35 U.S.C. § 101 and rebutting their claim construction arguments at the Markman stage. The case settled favorably after the Markman hearing.
- Represented energy sector plaintiff and won a $9 million dollar jury verdict on trade secret and conspiracy claims, following a 3-month trial against several former employees and their new pump distribution company.
- Represented drilling company in asserting claims for theft of trade secrets and confidential software.
- Represented several plaintiffs and defendants in patent litigation disputes over mechanical engineering systems, including cases that involved competitor companies in the oil and gas industry.
EDUCATION
- Stanford Law School, J.D., 2018
- Stanford University, M.S., Management Science and Engineering, 2018
- The University of Texas, B.S., Mechanical Engineering, and B.A., Philosophy, 2014
ADMISSIONS
- State Bar of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
IN THE NEWS
- AZA Wins Two Top 2023 Texas Verdicts for Energy Companies
- Twenty-Six AZA Lawyers Honored as Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch
- Thirteen AZA Attorneys Earn Texas Rising Stars Honor
- Texas Jury returns nearly $9M verdict against Toby Eoff and others involved in conspiracy against energy giant
- Seven Young AZA Lawyers Ranked among Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for 2023
- AZA Wins for Healthcare Clients Earn Top Verdict Rankings in Texas, US
- AZA Victorious in $62 Million Nationally Watched TeamHealth Trial Against Insurance Giant United Healthcare
- Twelve Young AZA Lawyers Ranked among Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for 2022
- Houston Jury Sends U.S. Insurance Companies a Strong Message on Behalf of Emergency Room Doctors
Commercial Litigation
- Represented emergency room physicians and won a $62.6 million jury verdict in a Nevada state court case that attracted national media attention. After a seven-week trial, the jury unanimously found malice, oppression, and fraud against United Healthcare for the systematic underpayment of emergency room services. This verdict will serve as a bellwether for more than two dozen similar cases against several insurers nationwide.
- Represented emergency room physicians and won a $19.1 million Houston jury verdict against a large insurance company. This case was the first in the nation to litigate the amount that private insurance companies should pay for out-of-network emergency services under the Affordable Care Act.
- Defended former executive of offshore service company against noncompete and trade secret claims.
- Defended property owner against premises liability claims in a personal injury lawsuit.
Intellectual Property Litigation
- Represented patent owners in lawsuits against major smartphone and semiconductor manufacturers. In several of these lawsuits, Mr. Liao actively handled matters from filing until resolution and has helped recover over $45 million for AZA’s clients.
- Represented patent owner in multimillion-dollar lawsuit against prominent cellular network operators. Mr. Liao took on lead roles in opposing the defendants’ challenge to invalidate the patents under 35 U.S.C. § 101 and rebutting their claim construction arguments at the Markman stage. The case settled favorably after the Markman hearing.
- Represented energy sector plaintiff and won a $9 million dollar jury verdict on trade secret and conspiracy claims, following a 3-month trial against several former employees and their new pump distribution company.
- Represented drilling company in asserting claims for theft of trade secrets and confidential software.
- Represented several plaintiffs and defendants in patent litigation disputes over mechanical engineering systems, including cases that involved competitor companies in the oil and gas industry.
- Stanford Law School, J.D., 2018
- Stanford University, M.S., Management Science and Engineering, 2018
- The University of Texas, B.S., Mechanical Engineering, and B.A., Philosophy, 2014
- State Bar of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
- AZA Wins Two Top 2023 Texas Verdicts for Energy Companies
- Twenty-Six AZA Lawyers Honored as Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch
- Thirteen AZA Attorneys Earn Texas Rising Stars Honor
- Texas Jury returns nearly $9M verdict against Toby Eoff and others involved in conspiracy against energy giant
- Seven Young AZA Lawyers Ranked among Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for 2023
- AZA Wins for Healthcare Clients Earn Top Verdict Rankings in Texas, US
- AZA Victorious in $62 Million Nationally Watched TeamHealth Trial Against Insurance Giant United Healthcare
- Twelve Young AZA Lawyers Ranked among Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for 2022
- Houston Jury Sends U.S. Insurance Companies a Strong Message on Behalf of Emergency Room Doctors
Their judgment and expertise of their attorneys are unquestioned
