World Trademark Review’s WTR 1000, The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals

• Consistently ranked among the top US firms for trademark law since the publication’s inception, Pirkey Barber is currently ranked in the Gold Tier nationally and is one of two firms to receive a Gold Tier ranking for Texas and one of twelve firms to receive a Bronze Tier ranking in the DC Metro area (2023)
• Nationally ranked attorneys: Bill Barber and Lou Pirkey (Gold), and Michael Metteauer and Shannon Vale (Silver) (2023)
• Seventeen attorneys ranked in Texas: Bill Barber, Alexandra Bistline, Megan Bradshaw, Sherri Eastley, Steven Espenshade, Alicia Morris Groos, Chris Kindel, Anna Kuhn, Wendy Larson, Jered Matthysse, Steve Meleen, Michael Metteauer, Lou Pirkey, Tyson Smith, Shannon Vale, Christopher Weimer, and Travis Wimberly (2023)
• Tara Vold ranked Silver in the DC Metro area (2023)
• Erik Combs ranked Bronze in California (2023)

Managing Intellectual Property

• Firm of the Year, National Trademark Contentious (2016, 2015)
• Firm of the Year, U.S. Trademark Contentious – South (2022, 2021, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2013)
• Firm of the Year, U.S. Trademark Prosecution – South (2021, 2020, 2014)
• National Ranking: among the top six firms for U.S. Trademark Contentious (2022-2016)
• National Ranking: one of seven firms ranked “Tier 2” for U.S. Trademark Prosecution (2022-2017)
• Travis Wimberly, Texas Litigator of the Year (2022)
• Travis Wimberly among five litigators shortlisted for the Texas IP Litigator of the Year (2021)
• Steve Meleen among seven litigators shortlisted for the Texas IP Litigator of the Year (2016)
• Bill Barber among eight litigators shortlisted for the Texas IP Litigator of the Year (2015)
• Louis Pirkey among five litigators shortlisted for the Texas IP Litigator of the Year (2014, 2013)

MIP – IP Stars

• Intellectual Property – Texas: one of four firms ranked “Highly Recommended” (2022-2014)
• Bill Barber, Alexandra Bistline, Anna Kuhn, Wendy Larson, Rebecca McCurry, Steve Meleen, Lou Pirkey, Tara Vold, and Travis Wimberly recognized as IP Stars (2023)
• Bill Barber, Anna Kuhn, Wendy Larson, Steve Meleen, Lou Pirkey, Tara Vold, and Travis Wimberly recognized as IP Stars (2021)
• David Armendariz, Alexandra Bistline, Rebecca McCurry, and Elizabeth Stafki recognized as Rising Stars (2021)
• Anna Kuhn included among the MIP – Top 250 Women in IP (2020-2016)
• Wendy Larson included among the MIP – Top 250 Women in IP (2014-2013)

U.S. News – Best Lawyers® by Woodward/White, Inc.

In 2024, the 30th Edition of Best Lawyers in America® by Woodward/White, Inc. included 22 Pirkey Barber attorneys across three practice areas:

• Trademark Law – Bill Barber, Rodney Caldwell, Sherri Eastley, Steven Espenshade, Alicia Morris Groos, Chris Kindel, Anna Kuhn, Wendy Larson, Katherine Klammer Madianos, Jered Matthysse, Steve Meleen, Michael Metteauer, Lou Pirkey, Shannon Vale, and Chris Weimer
• Litigation – Intellectual Property –  Bill Barber, Rodney Caldwell, Wendy Larson, Jered Matthysse, Steve Meleen, Lou Pirkey, Tyson Smith, and Travis Wimberly
• Copyright Law – Steven Espenshade, Alicia Morris Groos, and Shannon Vale

The 2024 edition of Best Lawyers®: Ones to Watch recognized David Armendariz, Alexandra Bistline, Megan Bradshaw, Erik Combs, and Elizabeth Stafki for their outstanding professional excellence.

For their “Lawyer of the Year” award, Best Lawyers® selects only a single attorney in each specialty within their community each year. From 2012 through 2022, a Pirkey Barber attorney has been named “Lawyer of the Year” in Austin each year, except 2018, in the categories of Trademark Law, Copyright Law, and/or Litigation-Intellectual Property Law.

Chambers & Partners USA Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers

• Firm ranked among the top 2 firms in the category of Intellectual Property – Texas (2023)
• Individual rankings in the areas of Trademark and Copyright:  Lou Pirkey (Senior Statespeople), Bill Barber (Band 1), Alicia Morris Groos (Band 3), Chris Kindel (Band 3), Wendy Larson (Band 3), Steve Meleen (Band 3) Shannon Vale (Band 3) (2023)

Chambers & Partners Global

• Bill Barber – Intellectual Property – Trademark Copyright and Trade Secrets – USA (Band 2) (2021-2023)
• Lou Pirkey – Intellectual Property – Trademark Copyright and Trade Secrets – USA (Band 1) (2021-2022)

Who’s Who Legal: The International Who’s Who of Trademark Lawyers by Law Business Research Ltd.

• USA Thought Leaders – Trademark: Bill Barber, Alicia Morris Groos, Chris Kindel, Lou Pirkey (2024)
• Included Bill Barber, Alicia Morris Groos, Chris Kindel, Wendy Larson, Jered Matthysse, Steve Meleen, Michael Metteauer, Lou Pirkey, and Shannon Vale (2023)
• Named Lou Pirkey one of eight “stand-out trademark practitioners” in Texas (2008)

Super Lawyers®, a Thomson Reuters service

• Lou Pirkey is one of Texas’ “Top 100 Lawyers” for Intellectual Property Litigation (2013-2015)
• Bill Barber is  listed in the “Top 50 Lawyers” in Central and West Texas (2017)
• Lou Pirkey is listed in the “Top 50 Lawyers” in Central and West Texas (2017, 2019)
• Bill Barber, Wendy Larson, Jered Matthysse, Steve Meleen, and Lou Pirkey are identified as a Super Lawyer in Intellectual Property Litigation in Texas (2020-2021) and Chris Weimer is identified as a Super Lawyer in Intellectual Property (2021)
• Texas “Rising Stars”: David Armendariz (2020 – 2021), Alexandra Bistline (2019-2020), Steven Espenshade (2020), Jered Matthysse (2014-2017), Steve Meleen (2004), Tyson Smith (2019-2020), Chris Weimer (2014-2020), Travis Wimberly (2017-2020)

Expert Guides: Legal Media Group

• The Best of the Best USA Trademark included Bill Barber (2019), Michael Metteauer (2018–2020), and Lou Pirkey (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017)
• Trade Mark Expert Guide has listed Bill Barber, Wendy Larson, Steve Meleen, Lou Pirkey, and Shannon Vale
• Rising Stars in Trade Marks in the U.S. has included Steven Espenshade (2018), Chris Kindel (2015-2017), Jered Matthysse (2015-2018)

World IP Review, WIPR Leaders

Alexandra Bistline, Steve Meleen, Lou Pirkey, and Shannon Vale (2021).

U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” by Woodward/White, Inc.

Pirkey Barber has received a Tier 1 Ranking for the Austin Metropolitan area in an Intellectual Property Category area since the inaugural edition:

• 2022 – 2015   Tier 1 Ranking in three practice areas: Trademark Law, Copyright Law, and Litigation – Intellectual Property Law
• 2014 – 2011   Tier 1 Rankings in the practice areas of Trademark Law and Litigation – Intellectual Property Law
• 2010  Tier 1 Ranking in the practice area of Intellectual Property (the only IP category for 2010)

Martindale Hubbell

Four of our attorneys hold Martindale Hubbell’s prestigious AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated* designation, including Bill Barber, Rodney Caldwell, Lou Pirkey, and Shannon Vale.

500 Leading Litigators in America, Lawdragon

Eleven of our attorneys were recognized in 2022, the guide’s inaugural year: Bill Barber, Alexandra Bistline, Erik Combs, Alicia Morris Groos, Wendy Larson, Jered Matthysse, Steve Meleen, Michael Metteauer, Louis Pirkey, Christopher Weimer, and Travis Wimberly.

Go-To Law Firm®, Corporate Counsel magazine, an ALM publication

2013 Go-To Law Firm for the Top 500 Companies for our work in Intellectual Property Law

Lou Pirkey

•  IAM (Intellectual Asset Magazine) Intellectual Property Hall of Fame Inductee (2020)
• American Intellectual Property Law Association’s Excellence Award (2019-2020)
• Tom Arnold Lifetime Achievement Award, State Bar of Texas IP Law Section (2015)
• Austin Bar Foundation’s Distinguished Lawyer Award (2015)
• International Trademark Association President’s Award (2012)
• The 25 Greatest Texas Lawyers of the Past Quarter-Century, Texas Lawyer Magazine, ALM Media Properties, LLC (2010)
• Legal Legend, Texas Lawyer Magazine, ALM Media Properties, LLC (2010)
• America’s Top 25 Preeminent Trade Mark Practitioners, The Best of the Best USA, Legal Media Group (2009)
• 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America, National Law Journal (1999)

Client Choice Award

Wendy Larson- International Law Office Client Choice Award in the category of Intellectual Property: Trademarks for Texas (2020)