Samantha (Sam) Picans focuses her practice on intellectual property litigation matters, specifically proceedings related to patents, trademarks, and trade secrets, as well as inter partes review proceedings. Her experience covers a broad range of technologies, including computer hardware, industrial manufacturing, consumer products, communications networks and devices, database structure and design, and software.

Ms. Picans also has significant experience in eDiscovery, which is increasingly necessary in IP cases. She served as a board member of the Denver Chapter of Women in eDiscovery for two years. She uses her experience to maximize efficiency, reduce costs for clients, strategize review of documents collected from clients and received from other parties, and develop overall eDiscovery strategies on a case-by-case basis.

Prior to joining WilmerHale, Ms. Picans was an associate at another law firm in Denver, where she handled fact and expert witness depositions, drafted principal appellate briefs in the Federal Circuit and significant district court motions and responses, managed every aspect of eDiscovery in vendor-managed Relativity platforms, and argued against a Daubert motion, among other responsibilities. Previously, Ms. Picans was a department attorney and a litigation associate at two other law firms in Denver.

Ms. Picans has also represented the best interests of children in protection order cases by serving as a guardian ad litem, represented victims of domestic abuse in divorce, custody, and protection order hearings while interning and volunteering at Colorado Legal Services in the Family and Children Unit, and mediated cases in Chicago courts serving as a mediator for a local nonprofit group during law school. During her last year of law school, Ms. Picans served as the executive articles editor on the Executive Board for the Northwestern Journal of Technology and Intellectual Property, managing all of the editing for the journal’s standard editions.

Professional Activities

• Colorado IP American Inn of Court, Board member and Co-Chair of Mentoring Committee (2020–2021)
• Colorado IP American Inn of Court, Member of Treble Damage Committee annual musical ethics CLE presentation (2014 to present)
• Women in eDiscovery, Denver, Membership Co-Director (2016–2018)
• Colorado Bar Association, IP Section
• Colorado Women’s Bar Association
• Colorado Bar Association
• American Bar Association

Community Activities

• Rocky Mountain Children Law Center, Guardian ad litem (2015–2016)
• Reading Partners (2014)
• Colorado Legal Services, Family and Children Unit, volunteer attorney & intern (2011–2013)
• Center for Conflict Resolution, Certified Mediator (2011–2012)
• Bluhm Legal Clinic, Human Rights Advocacy Clinic (2010–2011)

Select Publications

• “Is Your Outside Counsel Up to Snuff in eDiscovery?: 5 Questions to Ask,” ACC Docket (May 2019), Michael Burg & Samantha Picans
• “Strategies for Preventing an Award of Attorneys Fees,” ABA IP Litigation (Jan. 2016), Kristopher Reed & Samantha Picans
• “Copyright Transfer Terminations, Trademark, and Trade Dress: Forewarned Is Forearmed,” The Colorado Lawyer (Nov. 2014), Matthew Holohan & Samantha Picans