Attorney Bio

Lea Brigtsen is an experienced complex commercial litigator whose practice concentrates on complex business disputes in state and federal courts, including patents, trade secrets, copyrights, business torts, and contracts. Her experience also includes regulatory investigations, enforcement actions, environmental law, real estate, and financial services accounting issues.

Lea represents companies across several sectors of the US economy. She has litigated on behalf of technology companies, Big Four accounting firms, oil and gas companies, national retailers, financial institutions, medical providers, and the State of Texas and numerous state agencies. Lea has also won appeals on behalf of her clients in state and federal courts. Before joining the firm, Lea worked at two major national firms and served the State of Texas as an Assistant Attorney General.

Lea holds a Master’s degree in Public Accounting and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), having maintained her CPA license since 2004. Before practicing law, she was a tax associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. She continues to utilize her CPA and business background to better understand a client’s business and assist with analyzing complex damage theories.

Education

  • The University of Texas School of Law, J.D. with honors, 2007
  • The University of Texas at Austin, Masters in Professional Accounting, 2002
  • The University of Texas at Austin, Bachelors of Business Administration in Accounting, 2002

Admitted to Practice

  • Texas
  • United States District Court - Eastern District of Texas
  • United States District Court - Western District of Texas
  • United States District Court - Northern District of Texas
  • United States District Court - Southern District of Texas
  • United States Court of Appeals - 5th Circuit

Patent Litigation

  • Defending four leading wireless carrier defendants in patent litigation involving universal remote-control technology (E.D. Tex., Fed. Cir.).
  • Representing operating companies prosecuting multiple cases related to VOIP technology against the world’s leading retail, healthcare, automotive, financial, and technology companies (E.D. Tex., W.D. Tex.).
  • Representing an individual inventor in patent litigation relating to video technologies.

Trade Secret Litigation

  • Prosecuting trade secret and contract claims against the world’s largest company for misappropriation of a computer and telecommunications system for reducing the worldwide problem of fresh food waste (E.D. Ark.)
  • Represented a technology company in arbitrations prosecuting former employees and customers for stealing trade secrets and confidential information. Cases settled favorably with entries of permanent injunctions.

Copyright Litigation

  • Defended a public higher education institution and two institution employees in copyright infringement action seeking $784 million in damages in federal district court and won dismissal at the pleadings stage and affirmance on appeal in the Fifth Circuit (5th Cir., S.D. Tex.)

Complex Commercial Litigation

  • Represented a real estate investment trust in an action seeking to recover a $55 million dollar judgment under theories of alter ego and fraudulent transfer resulting in dismissal of the claims with prejudice at the pleadings stage. (N.D. Tex.)
  • Represented an international energy company in defending multiple royalty dispute actions asserted in state and federal courts and settled the cases favorably without protracted litigation. (N.D. Tex., S.D. Tex., Tex. Dist. –Harris Cnty.)
  • Represented the State of Texas in successfully obtaining a preliminary injunction in enforcement action with CFTC and 29 other states in federal lawsuit alleging defendants engaged in nationwide fraudulent scheme that solicited more than $185 million from victims through violations of CEA and state securities statutes. (N.D. Tex.)
  • Represented state agency and state official in federal district court in confirmation of an alleged arbitration award in federal district court and was awarded dismissal on the pleadings. (W.D. Tex.)
  • Represented the Governor of Texas and other state officials and state agencies in a lawsuit in which the plaintiff sought to void a state agency’s contact tracing contract during the Covid-19 pandemic and won early dismissal following an evidentiary hearing. (Tex. Dist. – Travis Cnty.)
  • Represented a national retailer in defending a contract dispute relating to an undeveloped shopping center the national retailer was supposed to anchor. After more than three years of litigation, the matter settled favorably before trial. (Tex. Dist. –Tarrant Cnty.)
  • Represented a free-standing emergency room center in federal and state court in defense of allegations of improper and fraudulent claim submissions to insurance companies. Both cases settled favorably. (S.D. Tex., Tex. Dist.—Harris Cnty.)
  • Represented a river authority in a federal bench trial defending claims that water diversions caused the death of whooping cranes in violation of the Endangered Species Act. After the trial court ruled in favor of the plaintiff, the 5th Circuit reversed and rendered, holding that the plaintiff failed to establish proximate cause and foreseeability as a matter of law. Law360 named the case one of the top five environmental cases of 2013. (S.D. Tex.)
  • Represented a Big Four accounting firm in a state regulatory investigation relating to one of the largest bank failures in United States’ history. The state board terminated the investigation without penalty.
  • Represented individuals on a pro bono basis in a wide range of cases, including obtaining proper benefits for a veteran in front of the Air Force Board for Correction of Military Records, obtaining asylum for a persecuted political refugee, resolving landlord tenant disputes, defending a car accident case, and securing adoptions and divorces in family law.

Activities

  • Board of Directors, Mother Attorney Mentoring Association of Austin, 2016–Present; Co-President, 2021–Present
  • Board of Directors, First English Lutheran Child Development Center, 2019 – Present
  • Board of Directors, Travis County Women Lawyers Association, 2009–2020; Treasurer, 2013–2020
  • Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation, 2018–Present
  • Fellow, Travis County Women Lawyers Foundation, 2017–Present
  • Fellow, Austin Bar Foundation, 2022–Present