Southern Illinois Intellectual Property Litigation Attorney: Metro East, Belleville, Edwardsville, and Carbondale
Jonathan Phillips handles every kind of intellectual property litigation in the Southern District of Illinois: trademark, copyright, patent, trade secret, and internet law cases, for plaintiffs and defendants. He is admitted to the Southern District, the Central and Northern Districts of Illinois, and the Eastern District of Missouri, which sits across the river from the Metro East.
At a glance
Court: U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois
Courthouses: East St. Louis and Benton
Areas served: Metro East (Belleville, Edwardsville, East St. Louis) and Carbondale
Case types: Trademark, copyright, design and utility patent, trade secret, false advertising, domain name disputes, internet law, serial-plaintiff defense
Sides: Plaintiffs and defendants
Appeals: Seventh Circuit
Contact: Jonathan L.A. Phillips, Brown, Hay & Stephens, LLP, (217) 544-8491
Fees: Flat fees sometimes available; other matters are quoted after a consultation
What kinds of IP cases does he handle in Southern Illinois?
All of them, for plaintiffs and defendants:
Trademark. Infringement, counterfeiting, dilution, and false advertising suits, and policing and cease-and-desist letters before them.
Copyright. Infringement suits for creators and defense for businesses, including photo demand letters and music licensing demands.
Patent. Design and utility patent enforcement and defense, and Federal Circuit appeals for patent owners.
Trade secrets and unfair competition. Disputes with former employees and competitors [confirm scope].
Online sellers. Schedule A cases, on both sides.
Serial plaintiffs. The Serial Plaintiff Tracker covers Strike 3, Joe Hand, TCPA, and CIPA matters, which reach bars, restaurants, and websites in Southern Illinois.
Internet law. Defamation, unmasking anonymous posters, and anonymous-speaker defense.
Where does the Southern District sit?
East St. Louis: the Melvin Price Federal Building and United States Courthouse, 750 Missouri Avenue.
Benton: the federal courthouse at 301 West Main Street, which also hears cases from the Carbondale area.
Which courthouse hears a case depends on the county where the defendant lives or the events occurred.
Why does the Metro East's location matter for IP cases?
The Metro East is part of the St. Louis metropolitan area, so a dispute can be filed in the Southern District of Illinois or in the Eastern District of Missouri depending on where the defendant does business and where the harm occurred. Jonathan is admitted in both courts and can advise on the better forum before a case is filed, or defend one filed in the less favorable one. See Missouri IP litigation.
How does a case move in the Southern District?
Complaint and service. A defendant ordinarily has 21 days after service to answer or file a Rule 12 motion (Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(a)).
Early motions. Venue, personal jurisdiction, and failure-to-state-a-claim motions are common.
Local Rules and standing orders. The Southern District's Local Rules and each judge's standing orders control briefing and status practice [verify against current rules].
Discovery and settlement. Most cases settle after the key motions or the exchange of core documents; trials are uncommon.
Appeals. Appeals go to the Seventh Circuit, where Jonathan is admitted.
What to do if you receive an IP demand or complaint
Keep everything: the letter, the complaint, emails, and the records of the sales, posts, or files involved.
Do not delete listings, files, or accounts.
Do not contact the sender or the sender's lawyer first.
Write down any deadline stated in the letter or on the summons.
Talk to counsel before the deadline.
Frequently asked questions
Is Jonathan Phillips admitted in the Southern District of Illinois? Yes. He is admitted in the Southern District, and also in the Central and Northern Districts of Illinois.
Does he handle only trademark and copyright? No. He handles trademark, copyright, patent, trade secret, and internet law cases, for plaintiffs and defendants.
Can he handle a Metro East case filed in Missouri? Yes. He is admitted in the Eastern District of Missouri as well.
What does it cost? Flat fees may be available; other matters are quoted after a consultation.
Recent writing
Jonathan L.A. Phillips, Brown, Hay & Stephens, LLP. Part of the IP litigation hub and the nationwide litigation page. Last reviewed October 2026. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.