Samuel F. Baxter

Sam Baxter is a retired Principal in McKool Smith's Marshall and Dallas offices. He is a former Texas state district judge and district attorney for Harrison County, Texas.

Few people know the Eastern District of Texas—an important venue in intellectual property litigation—as well as Sam does. His unique ability to connect with jurors and skillfully cross-examine witnesses has helped him secure significant verdicts for clients. Four of these victories have been recognized in The National Law Journal’s annual listing of “Top 100 Verdicts,” including a substantial jury verdict that he helped secure on behalf of relator Joshua Harman in a high-profile False Claims Act case against Trinity Industries.

Sam is consistently recognized among the top lawyers in his field by many of the country’s leading legal publications and rankings, including Chambers USA, The Legal 500, and Lawdragon. He was recognized as an "Icon of IP" by Law360 based on his reputation and success in high-profile patent infringement disputes. He was also profiled in Law360’s “Trial Aces” special feature, which recognized the Top 50 trial lawyers in the United States. The publication noted that Sam has a “charm” and an “ability to touch the hearts of jurors.” He was awarded 2015 "Outstanding IP Litigator - Texas" by Managing IP and has been included in Benchmark Litigation's listing of the “Top 100 Trial Lawyers in America.” Sam has been recognized one of the "10 Most Admired Intellectual Property Attorneys" in the nation by Law360 and patent litigation “Lawyer of the Year” in Tyler, Texas by Best Lawyers. In 2016, he received the Texas Lawyer "Lifetime Achievement Award" for Professional Excellence.

Sam is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, and a member of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, and East Texas Trial Lawyers Association, among others.

• Ranked among the top 250 Attorneys representing patent owners by Patexia's Intelligence Report (2025-2026)
• Recognized by the Patexia Insight - Patent Litigation Intelligence Report as one of the Top 100 Most Active Patent Attorneys, (2025)
• Recognized in the guide to the Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America (2022, 2024-2026)
• Named as a IAM Global Leader (2023 - 2024)
• Inducted into the Lawdragon 500 Hall of Fame, (2021)
• Recognized among Lawdragon's 500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers (2020-2026)
• Recognized among Lawdragon's 500 Leading Global IP Lawyers (2025)
• Honored with the John Hannah, Jr. Award for Public Service 
• Recognized as an "Icon of IP" by Law360 
• Awarded "Lifetime Achievement Award" for Professional Excellence from Texas Lawyer 
• Ranked as a leading lawyer Nationally for Intellectual Property (Senior Statesman), in Texas for Intellectual Property (Senior Statesman), Litigation: Trial Lawyers (Senior Statesman) and Commercial Litigation (Senior Statesman) by Chambers USA. The 2025 edition notes that he "has an unparalleled level of experience, great instincts and judgment during cases and in settlement discussions."
• Ranked as a leading lawyer Globally for Intellectual Property (Bank1) by Chambers Global.
• Named IP Litigation "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers in America (2020,2024)
• Recognized in "Best Lawyers in America" for Litigation: Bet-the-Company, Antitrust, Commercial, Intellectual Property, Patent, M&A, and Securities (2015-2026)
• Recognized as a leading U.S. patent litigator in World Intellectual Property Review’s (WIPR) directory of “World IP Leaders" 
• Recognized as a leading U.S. patent litigator by Legal 500
• Named "IP Star" and "Outstanding IP Litigator - Texas" by Managing IP
• Ranked as an Intellectual Property "National Litigation Star" by Benchmark Litigation 
• Named "National IP Litigation Star" by Benchmark Plaintiff
• Received Gold Star ranking for Texas Patent Litigation by IAM Patent 1000: The World's Leading Patent Practitioners (2020-2025)
• Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers
• Named one of Law360's "10 Most Admired Intellectual Property Attorneys"
• Named Best Lawyers Dallas Intellectual Property "Lawyer of the Year" 
• Listed in the Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America
• Named by his peers to the list of Super Lawyers

• Penal Code Committee, past chair
• Correctional Services Committee, past chair
• Civil and Criminal Evidence Rules Committee, past chair
• Legal Representation of Those on Death Row Committee, past chair
• Texas Trial Lawyers Association
• Association of Trial Lawyers of America
• East Texas Trial Lawyers Association