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Lara A. Swensen

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Biography

As a shareholder with James Dodge Russell & Stephens, P.C, Lara Swensen’s practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, including intellectual property, trade secret, and antitrust issues. Ms. Swensen has represented both individuals and companies engaged in difficult, high-stakes disputes. Although her focus is resolving matters in litigation, she has also assisted companies with internal investigations, antitrust compliance training, and alternative dispute resolution. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Swensen also worked as a legal consultant for various large technology companies.

Additionally, Ms. Swensen has extensive experience preparing and challenging expert witnesses in civil litigation. Ms. Swensen’s practice includes working closely with experts on a wide variety of cases, including trade secrets, direct marketing disputes, software build-for-hire disputes, patents, software copyrights, spyware litigation, and antitrust class actions in the context of medical waste treatment. Previously, she served as managing director of Wasatch Economics, a litigation and damages consulting firm. She co-authored a treatise on intellectual property damages, and has taught several seminars on damages analysis and the expert witness’s role in complex civil litigation. 

Ms. Swensen is active in various community organizations. She currently serves as a panel chairperson of the Utah Supreme Court’s Ethics & Disciplinary Committee, which reviews, investigates, and hears all informal complaints charging unethical or unprofessional conduct by attorneys. She also is a member of the Judicial Council's Ethics Advisory Committee and President of the Antitrust Section of the Utah Bar. Ms. Swensen also previously served on the Executive Board for Women Lawyers of Utah and currently is an active committee member.

Ms. Swensen graduated with honors from the University of Chicago Law School where she was an active member of the Criminal Justice Project at the Mandel Legal Aid Clinic. She received her B.A. cum laude from Dartmouth College.

Practice Areas:

  • Antitrust Litigation
  • Business & Commercial Litigation
  • Intellectual Property Litigation
  • Patent Litigation
  • Trade Secret Litigation
  • Unfair Competition Litigation
  • Water Rights
  • Copyright and Trademark Litigation

Education

  • University of Chicago Law School
    • J.D. degree with honors
  • Dartmouth College
    • B.A. degree, cum laude
    • Honors: Recognized in Utah’s Legal Elite (Civil Litigation), Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers, and Mountain States Rising Stars selection.

Bar Admissions

  • Utah
  • U.S. District Court District of Utah
  • U.S. District Court Central District of California
  • U.S. Supreme Court

Presentations & Seminars

  • Protecting Your Water Rights: Utah Water Users Workshop (2010)
  • Disaggregation of Patent Damages: Dunes CLE Seminar (2008)
  • The Role of Experts in Antitrust & Intellectual Property Damages: NACVA Seminar (2004)
  • Relevant Case Law Regarding Intellectual Property: NACVA Seminar (2003)
  • Electronic Discovery and Document Storage: Management and Litigation Issues in Utah? Lorman Seminar (2002)
  • Experts Role in Intellectual Property & Patent Damages: NACVA Seminar (2001)
  • Damage Concepts: Trademark. Copyright & Trade Secrets: NACVA Seminar (2001)
  • Panelist (IP and Antitrust Law) “The New Roaring Twenties: the Progressive Agenda for Antitrust and Consumer Protection Law”, Utah Law Review Symposium (2022)

Published Works

  • Co-Author: "Towards a More Reasoned Application of the Robinson-Patman Act: A Holistic View Incorporating Principles of Law and Economics in Light of Congressional Intent: Vol. 60 The Antitrust Bulletin 279" (December 2015)
  • Co-Author: "Litigators on Experts: Experts in Antitrust Cases: American Bar Association" (2010)
  • Co-Author: "Intellectual Property Damages: Guidelines and Analysis" (November 2002)
  • Co-author: ABA State Antitrust Practice and Statutes Treatise, 6th Edition (publication forthcoming).