Prior BigLaw and In-house Experience
- Bracewell LLP
- Andrews Kurth LLP
- Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP
- Pravel Gambrell Hewitt Kimball & Krieger, P.C.
Licenses
- Admitted to practice law in Texas 1989
- Registered Patent Attorney 1990 (admitted before the United States Patent & Trademark Office)
- Registered Professional Engineer 1981-2003
Education
- South Texas College of Law – Houston, J.D., 1988 (Law Review, Order of Lytae, Phi Delta Phi International Legal Fraternity)
- University of Illinois – B.S. in Civil Engineering, 1979
Services
- Intellectual Property Strategy & Consulting
- Copyrights – procurement and enforcement
- Trade Secrets – protection, assessment and enforcement
- Licensing and technology transfer of intellectual property
- Litigation
Professional Experience
Doug is an intellectual property attorney and registered patent attorney who advises clients on all aspects of patent, trademark, copyright, trade dress, unfair competition, and trade secret law. His practice includes patent and trademark portfolio analysis and procurement, infringement and non-infringement opinions, patent invalidity analysis, and developing strategies to design around competitors’ patents.
Before entering the legal profession, Doug spent six years as a structural engineer with Texaco, including nearly two years working in South Korea. During that time, he was awarded a patent for an offshore marine structure—an experience that sparked his interest in intellectual property law and ultimately led him to pursue a legal career.
After graduating from law school, Doug practiced with an intellectual property boutique for ten years before the firm joined Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld. He then spent seven years at Akin Gump, followed by eleven years at Andrews Kurth and seven years at Bracewell, building a distinguished practice representing clients in a wide range of intellectual property matters before bringing his decades of experience to Grable Martin.
Doug has been widely recognized for his leadership and contributions to the field of intellectual property law. Most recently, he was named a 2025 IP Star – National and Texas Notable Practitioner by Managing IP, a leading publication of Legal Benchmarking Limited.
Personal Story
Doug was raised in a small town in southern Illinois with a population of fewer than 60 people, where he attended a one-room parochial school through the eighth grade. Those humble beginnings instilled in him a strong work ethic and a competitive spirit that would shape both his academic and athletic pursuits.
He went on to play baseball at Kaskaskia Community College and later at the University of Illinois, where he studied engineering and served as captain of the baseball team. Doug earned Big Ten Academic All-Conference honors and even attracted interest from several Major League Baseball organizations. Although a professional baseball career was within reach, his path ultimately led elsewhere.
Today, Doug brings that same discipline and determination to life outside the office. An avid distance runner, he has completed more than 20 marathons—including the Boston Marathon—and more than 20 half marathons. Above all, however, he values time spent with his three children and four grandchildren, who remain the center of his life.
