Thomas R. Dee
Shareholder
Co-Chair, Intellectual Property Litigation GroupPast Chair, Associate Evaluation Committee
Member, Pro Bono Committee
222 North LaSalle Street Chicago, Illinois 60601
- tdee@vedderprice.com
- VCard
Thomas R. Dee
Shareholder
Co-Chair, Intellectual Property Litigation GroupPast Chair, Associate Evaluation Committee
Member, Pro Bono Committee
Thomas R. Dee is a Litigation Shareholder and the co-chair of the Intellectual Property Litigation group.
He has extensive experience in complex commercial matters, including breach of contract, products liability, trademark, copyright and patent infringement, trade secret violations and enforcement of restrictive covenants. Mr. Dee has substantial state and federal court experience in actions involving temporary restraining orders and preliminary injunctions.
Mr. Dee represents clients ranging from Internet/e-businesses to Fortune 500 companies in U.S. federal and state courts and before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. He has appeared and argued before the Illinois Appellate Court and the Federal Circuit, and the Seventh and Eighth Circuit Courts of Appeals.
In addition to his litigation experience, Mr. Dee regularly counsels corporations and individuals on how to protect corporate assets, including employee relationships, confidential information and trade secrets.
He is a Past Chair of the firm's Associate Evaluation Committee and serves on the firm’s Diversity and Pro Bono Committees. He is also a founding member of Vedder Price’s Trade Secrets/Unfair Competition practice group.
Mr. Dee is a member of the United States Supreme Court Bar and the Federal Trial Bar. In 2020, he was named as one of America’s Top 100 Bet-the-Company Litigators. Mr. Dee has been in the Leading Lawyers Network since 2011, included in Illinois Super Lawyers from 2012 to 2021 and in 2024, in addition to receiving an “AV Preeminent” rating from Martindale-Hubbell. In 2023 – 2025, he was selected by Best Lawyers in the category of Litigation – Intellectual Property.
Thomas R. Dee
Shareholder
Co-Chair, Intellectual Property Litigation GroupPast Chair, Associate Evaluation Committee
Member, Pro Bono Committee
Education
- The John Marshall Law School, J.D., 1993, cum laude
- Dominican University, M.B.A., 1993
- Dominican University, B.A., 1983
Thomas R. Dee
Shareholder
Co-Chair, Intellectual Property Litigation GroupPast Chair, Associate Evaluation Committee
Member, Pro Bono Committee
Bar Admissions
- Illinois, 1993
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, 1993
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, including Trial Bar, 1996
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit, 2012
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit, 2002
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit, 2004
- U.S. Supreme Court, 2003
Affiliations
- Master of The Bench, Chicago Inn of Court
- Member, Chicago Bar Association
- Past Board of Director, Public Interest Law Initiative
- Executive Committee Member, Dominican University Board of Trustees, Chair, Audit & Risk Committee
- Past President, Oak Park Country Club
Thomas R. Dee
Shareholder
Co-Chair, Intellectual Property Litigation GroupPast Chair, Associate Evaluation Committee
Member, Pro Bono Committee
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Publications
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April 24, 2024 |
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May 2016 | Newsletter/Bulletin
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October 2013 | Newsletter/Bulletin
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October 2009 | Newsletter/Bulletin
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March 2009 | Newsletter/Bulletin
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August 2004 | Newsletter/Bulletin
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Thomas R. Dee
Shareholder
Co-Chair, Intellectual Property Litigation GroupPast Chair, Associate Evaluation Committee
Member, Pro Bono Committee
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News
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August 15, 2024 | Press Release
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February 13th, 2024 | Press Release
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August 17, 2023 | Press Release
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February 2, 2023 | Press Release
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August 18, 2022 | Press Release
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January 29, 2020 | Press Release
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November 2012 | Press Release
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Past Events
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June 14, 2016 | Seminar
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June 27, 2013 | Seminar
Thomas R. Dee
Shareholder
Co-Chair, Intellectual Property Litigation GroupPast Chair, Associate Evaluation Committee
Member, Pro Bono Committee
Experience
- In Redbox v. Xpress Retail, LLC., Mr. Dee served as Redbox’s lead counsel bringing claims for false advertising and trade dress infringement. The case was successfully settled after the defendant changed its advertising and color of its video kiosks.
- In Experian v. Acxiom et. al., Mr. Dee represented the defendants and defeated Experian’s motion for a temporary restraining order. He then successfully moved to dismiss Experian's complaint getting a finding from the court that Experian's restrictive covenants were overbroad and unenforceable as a matter of law.
- In Microsystems v. XRef et. al., Mr. Dee served as Microsystem's lead counsel bringing patent infringement claims against defendants' document analysis proofreading software. The lawsuit was quickly and successfully resolved.
- In Wilkinson v. Acxiom, Mr. Dee was lead counsel defending Acxiom in a multi-million dollar breach of contract and retaliatory discharge case. Mr. Dee sought and obtained a complete summary judgment victory on all claims brought by Wilkinson.
- In Powell v. XO Communications et al., Mr. Dee served as lead counsel on behalf of defendants in a defamation action. After successfully narrowing the claims and the alleged defamatory statements through a motion to dismiss, Mr. Dee obtained summary judgment on all claims against the remaining defendants.
- •In First Advantage et al. v. Sterling Infosystems, Inc. et al., Mr. Dee brought an action seeking a declaration that certain restrictive covenants were overbroad and unenforceable. Mr. Dee then defended and defeated Sterling’s attempt to obtain an injunction which would have prohibited two executives from performing work for First Advantage.
- In Sysco Corporation et al. v. Reinhart FoodService, LLC et al., Sysco brought multiple claims, including an alleged violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, against Reinhart based upon its hiring of a former Sysco executive. Mr. Dee obtained a dismissal of all claims Sysco brought against Reinhart.
- In Ignite v. Leapfrog et al., Mr. Dee served as lead counsel and obtained a TRO and preliminary and permanent injunctions against a group of former Ignite employees who opened a competing business while still employed by Ignite. Using forensic evidence, Mr. Dee was able to establish that one of the employees had used an Internet service to back up Ignite’s entire development database.
- In AWTP v. Saenz, Mr. Dee obtained a permanent injunction and a $700,000 judgment against a former RainSoft™ dealer who violated his dealer agreement by selling competing water-treatment products and misrepresenting his affiliation with RainSoft.
- In Fast Food Gourmet v. Kraft and Little Lady Foods, Mr. Dee served as lead trial counsel for the defendants in a $160 million trade secret dispute. After opening statements and just before the plaintiff had to put its first witness on the stand, the case was favorably settled.
- In Bridge Associates LLC v. Bridge Finance Group LLC, Mr. Dee defended Bridge Finance against the plaintiff’s attempt to permanently enjoin Bridge Finance from using the name it chose and invested significant capital promoting. At the preliminary injunction hearing, Mr. Dee was able to completely discredit the plaintiff’s alleged instances of actual confusion and defeated the preliminary injunction by establishing that there wasn’t even a likelihood of confusion between the two parties. The case was settled shortly after denial of the preliminary injunction.
- In Grayline v. Garden Ridge, Mr. Dee obtained a permanent injunction prohibiting the defendants from importing and/or selling products that infringed on his client’s trademarks, copyrights and patents. In addition, his client received significant damages and attorneys’ fees.
- In Dana Classic Fragrances v. F&F Industries et al., Mr. Dee obtained a permanent injunction against a number of defendants prohibiting their sales of knock-off English Leather products. His client also received damages and fees far in excess of the costs of litigation.
- In CL Enterprises v. Law Title et al., Mr. Dee achieved a significant settlement on behalf of a client who was defrauded of over $1.5 million. Out of the amount lost, Mr. Dee was able to recoup over $1 million in the settlement.
- In AAMG v. Oakland Deposit Bank, Mr. Dee obtained a large settlement against a number of defendants found to have engaged in a complex mortgage fraud scheme.
- In Celander v. Loyola University, Mr. Dee successfully defended Loyola University of Chicago in an alleged breach-of-employment contract case brought by a former University professor. The plaintiff sought two years of salary and benefits and unspecified damages for failure to grant tenure. At trial, Mr. Dee established that Loyola properly dismissed the plaintiff when it found out that the plaintiff breached his contract by teaching at another institution without Loyola’s knowledge or consent.
- In PRG-Schultz International v. Krix, Mr. Dee served as lead trial counsel to PRG-Schultz International and PRGS in a trade secret/copyright infringement suit against a competitor who was accused of misappropriating a highly proprietary software program. After defeating its motion for summary judgment a day before trial, the competitor agreed to withdraw the offending portions of its software program from the market.
- In Therapeutic Showers, Inc. v. Loyola University of Chicago, Mr. Dee served as lead trial counsel and successfully defended Loyola University of Chicago during an eight-week trial in the Circuit Court of Cook County. The plaintiff filed a multicount complaint claiming that Loyola forced him out of business. Despite a great deal of negative pretrial publicity, Mr. Dee established that Loyola did not cause the plaintiff’s business to fail. At the end of the trial, Loyola was found innocent on all counts.
- In Heartland Bank v. Heartland Home Finance, Mr. Dee served as lead trial counsel and successfully defended Heartland Home Finance before a jury in a trademark infringement action in the Eastern District of Missouri federal court. After the plaintiff put on its case in chief, Mr. Dee moved for and obtained a directed verdict. After the case was remanded by the Eighth Circuit, Mr. Dee successfully argued for and received an award of more than $130,000.00 in attorneys’ fees paid by the plaintiff and its counsel. The remainder of the case settled shortly thereafter.
Recently Reported Decisions
- Powell v. XO Services, Inc. et al. (N.D. Ill. 2011) (defamation and employment action).
- Strata Marketing v. Murphy et al., 317 Ill.App.3d 1054 (1st Dist. 2000) (restrictive covenants, trade secrets).
- PRG-Schultz International v. Krix et al., 2003 WL 22232771 (N.D. Ill. 2003) (trade secrets, copyright infringement).
- Heartland Bank v. Heartland Home Finance, 335 F.3d 810 (8th Cir. 2003) (trademark infringement).
- Ardisam v. Hunter's View, 336 F.Supp.2d 867 (W.D. WI 2004) (patent infringement).
Thomas R. Dee
Shareholder
Co-Chair, Intellectual Property Litigation GroupPast Chair, Associate Evaluation Committee
Member, Pro Bono Committee