Overview
Ellen Oberwetter represents clients in complex civil litigation in courts and arbitrations around the country. She is a Co-Chair of the firm’s Arbitration practice group and the Restructuring and Bankruptcy Litigation practice group. In recent years, her primary areas of practice have included patent and licensing disputes, legal malpractice matters, and bankruptcy litigation. Many of her matters over the years have been litigated through arbitration.
Ellen has represented clients in a number of patent and licensing disputes, including Hatch-Waxman litigation, Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act (“BPCIA”) litigation, and licensing disputes concerning collaboration agreement obligations, and royalty and sublicensing payment obligations. She has significant experience in litigating intellectual property and product valuation issues.
In the professional malpractice area, Ellen has defended law firms against allegations of mishandling litigation and transactional matters, including intellectual property, trust and estate, and bankruptcy matters; claims for securities fraud; allegations of overbilling; and claims for breach of fiduciary duty. She also defended a major accounting firm in arbitration and court proceedings around the country against claims relating to tax advice.
Ellen has represented clients in numerous bankruptcy litigation matters, including defending against claims brought by litigation and liquidating trusts, handling adversary proceedings, representing a company in a transnational substantive consolidation dispute, and negotiating Rule 2004 discovery requests.
Born and raised in Dallas, Ellen graduated from the University of Michigan in 1997 and received her J.D., with high honors, from the University of Texas School of Law, where she was a member of the Texas Law Review, Chancellors honor society, and the Order of the Coif. After graduating from law school, she was a law clerk to Judge Joe Kendall of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, and Judge Thomas Reavley of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. She joined Williams & Connolly in 2002.
Ellen has been active in the firm’s pro bono work, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Washington Urban Debate League. She is a former Chair of the firm’s Hiring Committee.