Stephen Auten

STEVE AUTEN is head of Taft's Pharmaceutical & Life Sciences Litigation group. He is widely recognized in Hatch-Waxman and biosimilar matters, including related patent litigation, and is followed by key industry leaders (brand and generic alike), law firms, analysts, educators and others on his LinkedIn blog "Hatch Waxman ANDA Litigation Forum"​ or HALF, which has nearly 15,000 members. He currently represents clients primarily in the areas of Paragraph IV design strategies, Hatch-Waxman litigation, and biosimilar market opportunities. Steve is licensed in Illinois, Florida, and at the USPTO. He spends most of his time in Palm Beach County, Florida.He is counsel to many companies, large and small, including those who are first-to-file an ANDA with a P-IV certification, and thus eligible for 180-days of market exclusivity. His prior in-house role gives him unique perspective in communicating to the C-suite, meeting budgets, and managing expectations. He adds value in not only getting results, but also managing case budgets prudently and effectively based on forecasted NPVs. A frequent author, Steve was a co-editor of "Pre-ANDA Litigation: Strategies & Tactics for Developing a Drug Product and Patent Portfolio." He inked the chapter on "Citizen Petitions," sharing his knowledge about the intersection of FDA, patent, and Hatch-Waxman laws. He also served as an associate editor and chapter author for "ANDA Litigation: Strategies & Tactics for Pharmaceutical Patent Litigators." Steve served as co-editor yet again on "Evidence in Patent Cases," co-authoring the chapter on Hatch-Waxman cases.Well-recognized by industry and his peers, Steve was named in 2017 by Corporate INTL as the Life Sciences Attorney of the Year for the State of Illinois. He also was a national finalist in 2018 for Hatch-Waxman Litigator of the Year (generic) by LMG Life Sciences. Clients noted for Chambers USA that Steve "is very strategic," "has a commanding knowledge of the generic pharmaceutical patent litigation space," "gives very practical advice," and "is commercially aware." Steve is also ranked among the Best Lawyers in America, Top 100 High Stakes Litigators, IAM Patent 1000, Illinois Super Lawyers, and Illinois Leading Lawyers. In 2019, Crain's Chicago Business named Steve a Generation X Leader in Law.Patexia’s recent ANDA litigation report recognized Taft as the #1 Best Performing Law Firm for ANDA Defendants, and among the top 10 most active of all ANDA firms. Their report also ranked Steve individually at #7 out of nearly 850 defense attorneys.