Sam Merritt is a seasoned intellectual property litigator with extensive experience handling complex patent and trademark disputes before federal district courts, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. He routinely advises clients on trademark portfolio management, enforcement strategies, and the resolution of disputes with third parties, helping them protect and maximize the value of their IP assets. Sam represents clients across a wide range of industries, including textiles, manufacturing, financial services, and professional sports.
Representative Experience
Any result the lawyer or law firm may have achieved on behalf of clients in other matters does not necessarily indicate similar results can be obtained for other clients.
- Advised one of the nation's most prestigious professional golf tournaments on trademark enforcement and global trademark portfolio management.
- Handled offensive district court litigation for a global chemical manufacturing and engineering company against a distributor of chemical products.
- Defended a water heater manufacturer against false advertising claims by a competitor in district court litigation.
- Acted as respondent counsel for a universal remote manufacturer in an ITC action against a competitor.
- Counseled a leading flooring products manufacturer in USPTO proceedings against a competitor.
- Litigated district court cases and USPTO proceedings for a national drywall manufacturer relating to additives used in drywall production.
- Served as intervenor counsel for a global cellular infrastructure equipment supplier in eight co-pending district court cases and USPTO proceedings related to 4G network infrastructure and devices.
- Represented Nokia as complainant in an ITC action against Apple involving cellular device design and operation.
- Managed patent litigation for a global automotive supplier against a manufacturer of personal navigation devices in the Eastern District of Michigan.
- Defended a leading manufacturer of retail merchandise security systems against an importer of foreign goods in the Northern District of Texas.
Honors & Awards
- Selected to the Charlotte Business Journal “40 Under 40” List, 2026
- Listed in World Trademark Review 1000: The World's Leading Trademark Professionals, 2024-Present
- Recognized in IAM Strategy 300: The World’s Leading IP Strategists, 2023-Present
- Recognized in Lawdragon 500 X: The Next Generation, 2025
- Named “Volunteer of the Year” by Charlotte Legal Initiative to Mobilize Businesses (CLIMB), 2025
- Honored by Business North Carolina Legal Elite in Litigation, 2024
- Recognized in North Carolina Super Lawyers: Rising Stars, 2023-2024
Professional & Civic Engagement
The Boost Pad Inc., Board Member
Thought Leadership
- Panelist, "How the Courts Interpret Indemnities & Liability Limitations," Association of Corporate Counsel CLE, August 2024
