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Full Service Law Firm | Michael Best & Friedrich LLP

Specializing in the Intersection of Business &amp; Government

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Professional portrait of Stephen A. Gigot

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Steve is an equity partner in Michael Best’s Intellectual Property Practice Group and co-lead of Best LuminEdge, the firm’s proprietary IP portfolio review offering. Through Best LuminEdge, Steve provides clients—including technology companies, private equity and venture capital funds, funders, family offices, and investment banks—with actionable competitive intelligence to support strategic planning, evaluate potential investment targets, and optimize IP portfolio management. Steve leverages Best LuminEdge’s advanced analytics and proprietary tools to identify competitors, assess portfolio strength, uncover infringement risks, and deliver recommendations that help clients make informed business decisions.

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In addition to his work with Best LuminEdge, Steve manages complex patent portfolios for technology companies of all sizes—from Fortune 50 corporations to startups. He works closely with client executives to align IP strategies with business objectives, product roadmaps, budgets, and competitive landscapes. Steve places special emphasis on eliminating unnecessary expenses by streamlining workflows and purging underperforming or aging assets from bloated portfolios.

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Steve handles all aspects of U.S. and international patent prosecution across diverse technical fields, including power tools, automotive, agriculture, heat transfer, data center cooling, nuclear power generation, nuclear fuels and reactor fueling, security and safety, excavation, forestry and construction equipment, power generation, wheelchairs, mobility solutions, medical devices, medical imaging, and food handling and processing technology. He uses data analytics to develop patent maps and filing strategies that advance business goals, protect core innovations, and respond to competitive challenges. His counsel includes enforcement strategies, competitor monitoring, and preparation of patentability and non-infringement opinions.

Steve also has significant experience drafting license agreements, joint development agreements, confidentiality agreements, and non-disclosure agreements, and advising clients on IP issues before, during, and after mergers and acquisitions.

Steve previously served as Chair of Michael Best’s Intellectual Property Practice Group and as Milwaukee Office Managing Partner, where he focused on advancing client service and operational excellence.

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Significant Acquisition for Global Precision Manufacturer

Advised a global precision manufacturing company on its largest acquisition to date, enabling the company’s entry into the defense sector and strengthening its European operations. Led IP due diligence with a focus on evaluating intellectual property assets and supporting the acquisition process.

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Advising On Venture Capital Transactions

Assisted a venture capital fund with multiple transactions in diverse technology sectors, including medical devices, inventory management hardware/software, and IoT data storage solutions. Provided comprehensive IP assessments to mitigate risk and support informed investment decisions.

Major Transaction for a Global Food Company

Represented a private equity firm in a $500M transaction involving a global food company focused on developing disease-resistant crops and sustainable agricultural solutions. Provided IP analysis and strategic recommendations to protect innovation and support long-term growth objectives.

Protecting years of invention — virtually overnight

When a company specializing in the design and supply of nuclear reactors was given the opportunity to bid on construction of a new reactor, it was required to disclose all design details to regulators, their competitors and customers. The company turned to Michael Best to quickly protect the designs developed over approximately five years by its team of 5,000 engineers and physicists.

Steve and his colleague Chris Austin devised a strategy, assembled a team and managed the emergency filing of 47 provisional patent applications — all in the space of five days. Steve, Chris and the team spent the next year preparing formal patent applications and non-U.S. applications for the company, which continues to work with Michael Best even though it is based in Canada and has no U.S. employees.

Quickly clearing a patent backlog

Shortly after retaining Michael Best in the summer of 2015 by a leading manufacturer of heavy equipment, our client discovered a substantial backlog in their patent filings. Steve and his colleagues Chris Austin and Plymouth Nelson led a team of 15 partners, associates and engineers in the preparation of 44 patent applications in approximately six weeks. The work Steve and his colleagues did on this project impressed our client so much that we are now receiving the majority of their outside patent prosecution work.

Streamlining a bloated portfolio, providing substantial savings

When a large manufacturing client was looking for ways to save money, it retained Michael Best to streamline its bloated worldwide patent portfolio. Steve and his colleagues brought in groups of employees from every part of the client’s business and evaluated each patent asset.

This input from employees helped Steve and his colleagues make significant cuts to the company’s portfolio, removing patents and applications that provided little value without sacrificing protection of the client’s most profitable operations. In all, Steve and his colleagues were able to reduce the client’s annual patent expenses by more than 50 percent.

Helping a client compete while staying out of litigation

When a manufacturing client wanted to manage the risks of competing with a rival with a robust patent portfolio, Steve helped them develop strategies to reduce or eliminate potential licensing and litigation costs. He helped them develop non-infringing design-around options that allowed them to compete profitably in a space their competitor thought they had locked up, without being sued.

Turning a business around by growing, not cutting

When Steve’s client bought a distressed asset in the automotive industry, he counseled them through a business turnaround and developed a multi-year global patent and business realignment plan, which has proven to be very successful for this now highly profitable business.

Developing IP budget management systems

In today’s economy, companies want to carefully manage their IP budgets to avoid unexpected expenses. Steve works with clients having portfolios ranging in size from five to more than 1,000 patents, setting up highly efficient workflows and establishing streamlined working arrangements that save companies money and time. Steve’s focus on efficiency is backed by his Lean Sigma training.

Helping restructure corporate IP departments

Steve has provided guidance to Fortune 100 companies in the restructuring of their Intellectual Property departments, including the redesign of all intellectual property forms, agreements, committees and workflows.

“Intellectual Property Valuation – Best Practices in Understanding IP Portfolios” presented at the Wisconsin Association of Corporate Counsel Annual Conference (May 2025)

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“Intellectual Property Valuation – Best Practices in Understanding IP Portfolios” presented at Alliance of Merger &amp; Acquisition Advisors Conference, Chicago (July 2025)

“IP Insights from a Multi-billion M&amp;A” presented at IPBC Global Conference, Boston (June 2025)

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Professional headshot of Stephen A. Gigot

Stephen A. Gigot

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Michael Best Attorneys Earn Recognition in The Best Lawyers in America 2027 List

China Revises Inventor ID Requirements for Patent Filings – Effective January 1, 2026

Michael Best Attorneys Earn Recognition in The Best Lawyers in America 2026 List

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Insights

Michael Best Attorneys Earn Recognition in The Best Lawyers in America 2027 List

China Revises Inventor ID Requirements for Patent Filings – Effective January 1, 2026

Michael Best Attorneys Earn Recognition in The Best Lawyers in America 2026 List

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