Tron Y. Fu
Partner

500 West Madison Street Suite 3700, Chicago, IL USA 60661

Overview

Tron Fu represents clients in patent, trademark, copyright infringement, and trade secrets litigation across a wide range of industries and technologies including e-commerce, software and business methods, semi-conductors, electronics, mechanical devices, medical devices, and consumer products. Tron also advises established companies and startup clients through all aspects of their patent portfolios from concept to enforcement, including patentability and landscape study, patent and trademark prosecution, freedom to operate opinions, licensing, and litigation.

As a former entrepreneur who founded an internet service company and a software company, Tron uses his first-hand understanding of his clients' business needs to develop and execute successful IP protection and litigation strategies. As an experienced trial counsel, Tron has obtained numerous high-value verdicts and favorable settlements for his clients. With his former business background, Tron knows how to effectively manage litigation budget and support a client’s business objectives, whether it is for a plaintiff or for defense.

Before joining the firm, Tron was a member in the Chicago, Illinois office of a leading global law firm where Tron was a top patent litigator who built his practice around technically sophisticated patent disputes and litigated patent infringement actions across multiple sectors, such as semiconductors, virtual fashion design software, and intermediate bulk containers. While there, Tron’s copyright practice extended to the asserted infringement of proprietary source code. Tron also represented a leading sports training equipment company in a trademark litigation.

Tron was recognized as an Illinois “Rising Star” in 2016 to 2021 and an Illinois “Super Lawyer” in 2022 to 2026 for Intellectual Property Litigation by Super Lawyers magazine. He was also recognized as one of the "Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch" in 2021, 2022, 2025, and 2026 for Intellectual Property Law by The Best Lawyers in America®.

Tron is fluent in Chinese and has extensive experience with disputes involving Chinese companies.

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Experience

*Obtained a highly favorable settlement for a leading virtual fashion software against a Chinese competitor in a patent infringement case in the Eastern District of Texas.

*Represented a leading sports training equipment manufacturer in a trademark litigation in the Northern District of Illinois against allegations from a competitor.

*Represented a leading Chinese CAD software company in a copyright infringement and trade secret misappropriation litigation in the Northern District of California against allegations from a U.S. competitor.

*Represented in trademark and copyright matters a well-known international artist and fashion designer whose creations have been seen in prominent fashion show and displayed in a well-known intergovernmental organizational building.

*Trial counsel for a well-known Chinese two-way radio manufacturer in a trade secret misappropriation and copyright infringement case in the Northern District of Illinois.

*Trial counsel for patentee of website builder patents in two actions in the District of Delaware. One of the actions resulted in a $40 million verdict and a $170 million verdict for the patentee.

*Trial counsel for patentee of personal safety technology in a patent infringement case in the Eastern District of Texas.

*Represented a producer of branded consumer, academic, business, and technology products in a patent infringement case in the Northern District of Illinois that resulted in successfully invalidation of both of the asserted patents.

*Represented a major telecommunications and mass media company in successfully defending against multiple patent infringement actions in the District of Delaware and Eastern District of Texas.

*Represented an American e-commerce marketplace in successfully defending against multiple patent infringement actions in the District of Delaware, Northern District of California, and Eastern District of Texas.

*Represented a Fortune 500 multi-brand provider of information technology services in successfully defending against multiple patent infringement actions in the District of Delaware and Eastern District of Texas.

*Obtained numerous favorable settlements in patent cases involving computer systems, software, network technology, mobile devices, web technology, SaaS services, digital camera technology, internet technology, and medical devices.

*Advised established companies and startup clients through all aspects of their patent portfolios from concept to inception and filing through patentability and landscape research, licensing, and litigation.

*Litigated cases before federal courts throughout the country including the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern, Western, and Southern Districts of Texas, Northern and Central Districts of California, District of Delaware, District of Massachusetts, Middle District of Florida, Eastern District of New York, Eastern District of Wisconsin, District of Montana, and Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

*Experience gained by attorney prior to joining Kilpatrick

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Insights
Education

University of Chicago Booth School of Business M.B.A. (2003)

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign B.S., Computer Science (1994)

University of Illinois College of Law J.D. (2012) cum laude

Admissions

District of Columbia (2013)

Illinois (2012)

Court Admissions

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Trial Bar

Professional & Community Activities

Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago, Board Member (2024-2026)

Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago, Patent Litigation Committee, Co-Chair (2023-Present)

Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago, International Relations Committee, Co-Chair/Chair (2019-2022)

National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, Member (2016-Present)

Lawyers for Creative Arts, provided pro bono representation in IP matters for various artists, film-makers, authors, and publishers

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